Re: [Paddlewise] QCC boats and water line length ........

Matt wrote;
(SNIP)


>Being practical the navy isn't going to add a whole lot of cost to the ship
>by creating expensive overhang (even though it might well make the ship
>drier during a hurricaine) especially if an adequate hull for most rough
>conditions can be built much more cheaply using some rake and a lot of
flare
>above the bow. This may create more spray in huge seas than the finer
longer
>bow would but in a ship spray is far preferable to green water washing over
>the bow.

(Large SNIP)

Matt's experience with the Navy differs from mine and certainly differs from
the Navy design standards. My experience working on their ships suggests
that the Navy has more concern over performance and safety than cost. Rather
remarkably they prefer not to have their sailors washed overboard. I sailed
with a senior officer from the Bureau of Ships for a few years and he
confirmed this.

Of what importance is cost when you are spending Matt's tax money to build
the ship. :-)

Matt says Navy ships do not encounter the kinds of conditions that sea
kayaks encounter. I guess the Victory at Sea series was doctored and my time
aboard ships a foggy haze of imagination (not to mention my ocean racing in
large yachts).  Perhaps Matt is thinking only of the largest ships of the
Navy and Coast Guard.  In any case you will find a particularly fascinating
picture - possibly a fabrication - of a Coast Guard lifeboat (short ended to
keep cost down) running the breakers at Yaquina Bay Oregon in Skenes
Elements of Yacht Design.  My brother served in the Coast Guard and he has
some interesting tales of "little" waves and "big" ships. Maybe he was
smoking too much wacky tobaccy and imagined it all.

I particularly disagree with Matt's comments about open boats. Matt makes
much of paddling experience and having paddled open canoes extensively on
the Great Lakes and having paddled around the northern tip of Labrador in
open canoes I would suggest that I have some experience with their
seaworthiness. One could also learn a bit about seaworthiness from open
Viking ships, Umiaks, dories, and even Captain Bligh's open boat.  HMMM. All
short ended (relative to sea kayaks) too.

Regarding the remainder of Matt's post, my suggestion that one read the
papers I mentioned in my post will save a lot of time. If one disagrees
strongly, one can skirt the middleman and argue with the author(s). I have
passed along what I have learned from my studies, my instructors, my
reading, my experience paddling and working in yacht design offices.
Unfortunately I failed to keep count of the kayaks I have paddled so if the
reader considers spending a little time in a lot of kayaks valuable then I
recommend you embrace Matt's opinions.

Finally, I apologise for the term "gyradius". Many people use "radius of
gyration". Matt has the advantage of me here as he knows what words he and
others know. I use them as I was taught. One can find the term used in such
books as Introduction to Naval Architecture, The Symmetry of Sailing,
Seaworthiness, the Forgotten Factor, Principles of Yacht Design, and maybe
some others. I also use English spellings such as "colour" for the American
"color". I hope this does not cause any  problems  for those who have no
familiarity with English as written by the English.

Cheers,
John Winters
Redwing Designs
Web site address, http://home.ican.net/~735769



***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************