Re: [Paddlewise] Sponson improvement

From: "Nick Schade" <schade_at_guillemot-kayaks.com>

> One thought I had was to attach the two sponsons to each other with a 
> full length bit of fabric instead of straps at each end. The fabric 
> could be thinner than the straps creating less drag and it could be 
> shaped to help maintain a "good" shape. The tricky part would be 
> making it so it would be adjustable for different size kayaks, but 
> that might not be necessary.

I had similar thoughts.  The adjustablility problem can be dealt with
by making the fabric in a series of triangles or arched bits.  Only
the vertices or "points" of the fabric are connected, these by
adjustable straps.  The fabric would distribute the load from the 
straps roughly uniformly along the sponson length.  The size
of the fabric and the number of straps would have to be figured 
out; I'm guessing about four or five straps.  

This would allow fine tuning of the shape to accommodate both
relatively straight-sided and fairly rounded plan forms.

Mike


|=========================================|
|                                         |
|                Sponson                  |
|                                         |
|=========================================|
\     /\     /\     /\     /\     /\     /
 \   /  \   /  \   /  \   /  \   /  \   /  Fabric
  \ /    \ /    \ /    \ /    \ /    \ /
   ||     ||     ||     ||     ||     ||
   ||     ||     ||     ||     ||     ||   Straps w/ 
   ||     ||     ||     ||     ||     ||   adjustable
   ||     ||     ||     ||     ||     ||   ladderlocks

             ditto other side

                                     

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