Peter van den Hurk wrote: > We had both exactly the same boats (loaded with camping >gear). We raced for 20 min, and indeed, because my friend had a slightly >better start, he was about a boat length in front of me. But interestingly >enough, this distance never changed over the 20 min race. I have noticed this as well, when racing my brother in identical boats--even if I apply more power, I can't pull away from him. >than at a certain point it doesn't help anymore to put more power >into your paddling strokes because your kayak has reached its max hull speed. I believe it is possible to go slightly above max hull speed, but only with a great deal more power and to realize only minute additions to your top speed. >Which would mean that the race, when paddled with exactly the same >equipment, can only be won by endurance: who can maintain max hull speed >for the entire race? (or by making references to his sister ;-) If you watch the start of a marathon canoe or kayak race, even the less-skilled paddlers keep up with the front runners for the first half-mile or so. Their boats are governed to a point where they are for all intents and purposes, identical. I think endurance is the key. Of course, if Phil and his friend are paddling Overflows, which are not really sprint boats, and will have a relatively low hull speed at 10' LOA, then endurance will play a big part in their race. Hmm...I wonder if a good paddler in that short of a boat would be able to overcome the bow wave and reach planing speeds and maintain it. -- Shawn W. Baker 0 46°53'N © 1999 ____©/______ 114°06'W ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^\ ,/ /~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ baker_at_montana.com 0 http://www.missoulaconcrete.com/shawn/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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