PeterO wrote >How useful are conclusions about the efficiency >of a paddle, using analyses which ignore the paddler? >Are modern computational methods adequate to assess >paddler/paddle combinations, bearing in mind the huge >number of variables? I believe theres still a place >for subjective assessment and craftsmanship based on >experience rather than quantitation? I suspect we have >a few years to go before computer algorithms and >understanding of bio-mechanics are up to the task, but >would be interested to hear of progress in this area. Dave Kruger wrote >Someone dinged scientific folks for asking for data >gathered under controlled conditions -- well, data >gathered where the (many) variables are minimized at >least allows the differences in the paddles to show up >against whatever noise there is in the system. Asking >for such measurements is good science. Knocking people >for gathering them is crummy polemics. >I hope Winters can get his tank back up, and can gather >some data. G'Day, I looked to find who seemed to be dinging the scientific folks and concluded it may have been me. If so I apologise to all those people who set up careful experiments in trying to understand paddles better. I know how hard and frustrating and rewarding it is to set up good experiments. I certainly didn't mean to suggest that subjective measurements should replace gathering data under controlled conditions, just that, suspect as they may be, theres still a place for subjective measurements. On thinking about Nick Schades response I would add 'for personal use only'. I still have concerns about the need for models of the paddler/paddle combination. I'll deal with them in a separate email, hopefully in a constructive rather than disputatious way. All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Jul 28 2002 - 00:51:10 PDT
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