[Paddlewise] K-light turning

"> I can't imagine needing a rudder on a K-Light. Pat and I had ours out

> yesterday morning, and marvelled at how any boat could both track so
well,
> and turn so easily. I still don't understand it. e

I just realized, the good tracking is at cruising speed in open water,
when the bow wave must help do that hull compression - the wee
concavities
between the stringer tubes (?) - whereas the turning was done at low
speed
in a mangrove channel, where the hull might take on a more chineless
shape. Is that it? e"

I have paddled the K-light and I am certain that it's combination of
good tracking and good turning qualities is due primarily to the overall
shape of the hull.  It is, quite simply, a good, well proportioned, hull
form.  The fact that the K-light is a fairly short boat helps its easy
turning some too.  I have paddled a few hard shelled boats that are good
at tracking and good at turning in the same way.  The wee concavities
between the stringers are under more pressure from being pressed down
against the water by gravity than they are by the bow wave.

I have paddled both good and bad  skin-on-frame boats, both good and bad
fiberglass or plastic boats, both good and bad plywood boats.  I have
noticed that the overall shape and proportions of the hull seem to be
far more important in determining ease of paddling, tracking and turning
ability than are variables such as what the hull is made of, how many
chines it has, and so forth.

Nick Lyle

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