[Paddlewise] Ballast and sponsoons...where is the kayak?

All this talk of ballast and sponsoons... all may do as designed, but the
product mounted on a boat would not end up being what to me is a kayak...

Apparrent simplicity...and beauty is in the simplicity of design, and
therefore much more interesting to operate, and less likely to malfunction.

Michael Orchard

> > Instead of working off the theory of increasing the beam to improve
stability this would
> > add "ballast" to each side of the hull.
>
> Neat idea.
>
> Along those lines, why not a deployable weighted keel?    Get a long,
light
> tube along the keel (perhaps inside a channel which would have the side
> effect of stiffening the hull longitudinally) that is hinged at one end
and
> with a heavy, compact weight at the other (depleted uranium, anyone?).
> The weight and tube could be teardrop shaped for minimum drag
> when deployed.  If the weight is blade-like, it would provide dynamic
> damping to rolling moments as well.
>
> When the paddler is in the water, s/he releases the tube, which swings
> down and locks into place.  Leaving it down would provide stability
> after re-entry.  If the lock yields a bit, it would handle impact, like
> rudder blades and skeg.



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