Re: [Paddlewise] Jetski wakes

From: Michael Daly <michaeldaly_at_home.com>
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 22:11:57 -0400
From: "Charles Herriot" <cherriot_at_controlex-corp.com>

> The wake of a passing boat has almost as much to do with hull configuration
> as it does the speed of the passing boat. There are some beer barges on the
> Rideau Canal system that throw off big rollers when they are crawling along,
> and other boats that barely raise a bump when they go by at 60Kph.

The size of the wake is proportional to the displacement (weight) of the vehicle.
This is true for boat wakes and for the vortices coming off of aircraft.  The 
exception is power boats that plane - since they are not displacing.  Shawn's
observation that the wakes are smaller makes perfect sense.

My experience with powerboaters (based on years of sailing) is that they don't
have a clue what's going on behind them and think a wake is for dead Irishmen*.

Mike

*Which is why, when paddling with folks who comment on the size of a boat's 
wake, I say - "You call that a wake?  I've seen a bigger wake for a live Irishman!"

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Received on Wed Apr 18 2001 - 19:11:23 PDT

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