Re: [Paddlewise] Excessive Weather Cocking (or is it Fairy gliding with the wind)

From: "Matt Broze" <mkayaks_at_oz.net>

> "Michael Daly" michaeldaly_at_rogers.com wrote:
> 
> > You seem opposed to wind ferries and my point is that they are
> > effective, especially in conditions where the wind is not 
> > accompanied by significant waves.  Paddlers have been using 
> > ferry techniques for a long time and my own experience is that 
> > they make life easy.  You imply that the make for more work.
> 
> How can I be opposed to something that I can't avoid (at least if I want to
> go somewhere in a kayak when the wind is blowing from the side)? 

I didn't say you are opposed to the wind but to wind ferries.  You then go 
on to say how bad wind ferries are.  I think you've demonstrated your
position.

> You seem to
> be implying that there is some advantage to be gained from this wind.

There is no advantage, however, I can mitigate the effects.  There's no
point in fighting the wind if you don't have to.  Let's note a few things:

- The faster you paddle, the greater the weathercocking moment.
- The greater the angle to the wind, up to 90 degrees, the greater the 
  weathercocking moment.
- The greater the angle to the wind, up to 90 degrees, the greater the 
  leeward drift of the kayak (ie, you get blown off course).

Since my objective is to stay on course and minimize the energy I use, I 
should point up into the wind and not push on at high speed (consistent
with other objectives like arrival time).

Going off course increases the distance travelled and hence time and energy.
The problem is to choose an angle that minimizes the energy I put out while
not excessively compromising the time to my destination.

The conditions set by the original post were beam wind and no waves.  I said
that under those conditions, I often use a wind ferry (and I also said that 
other conditions, such as notable waves, make wind ferries less effective).  
I learned about wind ferrying from canoeing and canoes are more likely than 
kayaks (based on my experience) to be used under conditions of winds with 
little wave height since they are more likely to be used on smaller lakes 
where the fetch is insufficient to produce waves of significance.

If you paddle canoes. which are more sensitive to wind and no wave conditions
due to their freeboard and lack of keel (at least in modern lake trippers),
you can experiment with the angle relative to the wind.  I've done that a 
lot and have found that the difference between the correct angle and a bad
one is considerable.  I also know that the effort to work against the wind
drops considerably with the correct angle - you can maintain your position
with a very slow paddle cadance.  Upping the paddle cadance with a small 
change in angle gets you to your destination.  Sure you lose speed relative
to a straight line effort, but with much less total energy.  

I have been in conditions where I've maintained the correct angle and 
drifted across a lake with almost no effort at all - a very low tempo and 
an easy stroke!  In this particular case, the wind was initially slightly 
aft of my beam - I used the wind to blow me both downwind (a bit) and across 
to my destination. The key is to recognize when ferrying is to your advantage 
and when it is not.

I've applied these principles to kayaking and found the same things, though
it's a little trickier to get a lot of gain.  This I attribute to the fact
that the hull presents less of a profile to the wind.  You need much higher
winds in the kayak for the same effect and this doesn't happen as often
without waves.  Hence the opportunities are less frequent.  

> It is better to have a
> kayak that is neutral to the wind (when moving forward at a reasonable
> speed) rather than one that weathercocks or lee-cocks because all known
> methods of compensation for an imbalanced wind/water couple have costs that
> can be measured in terms of extra energy expended to keep them pointed in
> the right direction.

Which means buying another kayak, specifically one that I have yet to 
experience from any manufacturer that deals in any area where I've test 
paddled.  Almost all kayak manufacturers claim that theirs don't 
weathercock.  The only kayak that I've paddled that is claimed by the
designer (not manufacturer) not to weathercock did in fact weathercock 
when I paddled it for a weekend - so much so that I had to use the rudder
for a while (which, while supplied, was claimed not necessary).  Pardon 
my scepticism.  

My comments were addressed to someone who uses a kayak they already have,
not one that exists in theory or in a distant market.  All kayaks, in 
my experience, weathercock to some extent in some speed range.  We are 
also in a position where we rent or borrow a kayak and have little 
control over the make or type.  Learning to avoid weathercocking  problems
by adjusting trim, using skegs or rudders or by changing paddle technique 
are all equally valid and useful.  Under certain circumstances, ferrying 
is as well.  A wise paddler chooses the best approach for the conditions
and kayak at hand.

You have your reasons for not wanting to use ferry techniques, just as
I have mine for using them.  That's fine.  I wouldn't want folks not
to try it because of your objections.  They would be well off by trying
it and seeing how they like it.  If they find it to their advantage,
that's good, if not, they'll agree with you and use other techniques.

Mike
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