From: "Larry Bliven" <foxhill_at_shore.intercom.net> > i wondered why a fine boat needed a skeg While I can't claim to be up to date on the topic, twenty years ago, when I was an aerospace engineer, variable shapes in aircraft was a hot research topic. Wings were being experimented with that could change camber and such without resorting to leading edge devices, flaps etc. The entire wing section was flexible so that actuators could reshape the wing on the fly, just like a bird can do. It seems to me that a variable-shape kayak would be a fine thing. To be able to change from a long fast cruiser to a rockered playboat as conditions change would be great. A skeg is just, IMNSHO, a step in that direction. Skeg up - take advantage of the rocker. Skeg down - get better tracking. Speaking of variable shapes... Mark Rogers of Superior Kayaks had mentioned at the Great Lakes Sea Kayaking Symposium his theory that the baidarkas with the bifid bows were sufficiently flexible as to provide steering. He cited the construction of the bow with its ivory bearing plates in the hull frame members etc as providing a means to allow the kayaker to push on the frame with his feet and cause the lower part of the bow to bend and act as a bow rudder. He says that the modern replicas have skins that are too stiff to allow such action today. He has never constructed a kayak with such materials as to test the theory. Mike *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Aug 10 2000 - 19:07:18 PDT
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