Re: [Paddlewise] weight of boats?

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve James <sljames_at_pacifier.com>
To: paddlewise <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Date: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 2:22 AM
Subject: [Paddlewise] weight of boats?


>To the group:
>
>My question is. 1. a boat has so much displacement in fresh water does
>it have the same in salt water. 2. If this displacement is not the same
>then how do you know how much weight can the boat hold. If you get use
>to the boat in fresh water is it harder to get use to it in salt water.
>If you demo a boat in salt water will it feel slower in fresh water. Can
>you pack more in a boat that is going in salt water. I know that the
>specific weight is different then salt water than fresh water, is this a
>big difference or just in my mind


The displacement remains the same. The boat just floats lower in fresh
water. If you get the chance to look at  a ship you will see a set of odd
looking lines on the side near the waterline. These are called Plimsoll
lines after the fellow who championed the safety of sailors. The lines are
supposed to prevent overloading and were established as law by the British
in the Nineteenth century. I don't recall what each line means anymore but I
think there were lines for Tropical salt, Tropical fresh, North Atlantic,
Fresh and Pacific. Probably all wrong as my memory is fading.

Salt water is often taken as 64 pounds per cubic foot and fresh as 62.3.
This is not iron clad as  the practice varies between countries, designers,
the temperature the density is taken at and etc.

On one of my designs the boat floats 5/64" deeper in fresh water than in
salt water (using the above figures).

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



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