I was out in a wind that blew from my starboard aft quarter a few days ago, and had to paddle several miles at that attitude. It required constant correction to overcome a persistant weather cocking tendency, and I grew weary of the extra labor. I'm thinking of reducing the sharpness of the keel line in the front quarter of the boat where it is quite pronounced, in order to create a more neutral balance between the bow and stern. This would be a similar effect to lowering a skeg in the stern, except that it is actually raising a bow skeg, so to speak. Before I undertake this correction, which involves structural work to the boat, I'd like to hear any arguments against the idea, especially regarding the possibility of some other adverse steering problem I might create. Let's presume for the sake of the discussion, that I'm going to do sound structural work, and that I'm not going to remove so much material as to overcorrect. Ken Rasmussen kayakfit_at_fidalgo.net *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I think one would have to be a genius or extremely lucky to decide on hull shape modifications based on theory or intuition, rather than on experimentation. (Unless you are an experience designer who has already learned by his mistakes.) Furthermore one should not buy a boat in the first place without testing it in aft quartering winds. This also applies to boats with a rudder. With or without a rudder all boats should be easily manageable in these conditions. > I was out in a wind that blew from my starboard aft quarter a few days ago, > and had to paddle several miles at that attitude. It required constant > correction to overcome a persistant weather cocking tendency, and I grew weary > of the extra labor. ...Let's presume for the sake of the discussion, that > I'm going to do sound structural work, and that I'm not going to remove so > much material as to overcorrect. > > Ken Rasmussen *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In theory such an approach is fine, but any hull modifications are a pretty permanent experiment. The time required might be better spent on either installing a rudder, skeg, or some sort of temporary/removeable skeg. My boat also weathercocks and I've also been dreaming about possible fixes, but have dealt with it so far by running more of a zig-zag course when needed. Play Hard, Erik Sprenne > I was out in a wind that blew from my starboard aft quarter a few days ago, > and had to paddle several miles at that attitude. It required constant > correction to overcome a persistant weather cocking tendency, and I grew weary > of the extra labor. I'm thinking of reducing the sharpness of the keel line > in the front quarter of the boat where it is quite pronounced, in order to > create a more neutral balance between the bow and stern. This would be a > similar effect to lowering a skeg in the stern, except that it is actually > raising a bow skeg, so to speak. Before I undertake this correction, which > involves structural work to the boat, I'd like to hear any arguments against > the idea, especially regarding the possibility of some other adverse steering > problem I might create. Let's presume for the sake of the discussion, that > I'm going to do sound structural work, and that I'm not going to remove so > much material as to overcorrect. > Ken Rasmussen *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
much easier than re-building your hull is buying a new boat that handles better. What you want to do will help, but hitting on the head, the amount to remove will be a serious challenge. Not to mention the mess and work involved. Take off too much and you're going to have a leecock issue. steve *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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