RE: [Paddlewise] Cobra Tourer

Dave asked:
>>Matt and/or John, is it likely that some weight inside
the rear hatch might correct this? I'm assuming that weather helm is
probably due to too much windage to the rear of the boat and/or not
enough lateral resistance by the underwater parts of the rear of the
boat. In both cases it would seem that sinking the rear a little might
help?<<

You have the general idea of what is going on. Consider both ends of the
kayak and add the water pressure differences along the hull of a moving boat
for an even better picture.
Adding weight towards the stern will certainly help for the reasons you
stated but adding weight will also add a little more drag (both friction and
wave making) and seriously slow acceleration. Shifting existing weight (as
our sliding seat does) reduces much of the adding weight problem but top
speed is still reduced a bit just by putting the hull out of trim even
without any weight increase. Best if the kayak balances the forces when at
trim and moving forward. We traded a strong weather helm when going in
reverse for little or no weather helm going forward. We think it was a very
good trade considering the relative amount of time one spends going each
direction (but all trades also have their costs). At the last minute I
choose not to use one of my own kayaks when entered in a fun skills race at
a West Coast Sea Kayaking Symposium when I learned, at the racers meeting,
that the course included long sideways and backwards legs as part of the
skills challenge.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com


***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************