Re: [Paddlewise] Energy, force and work

Melissa wrote:
>> To sum up... The kayak is long, skinny, pointed at both ends, is
>> propelled by a stick, and floats on the water exactly like a bowling
>> ball wouldn't.

>:-) That pretty much says it all! I would only add that a kayak takes
>me to some very nice places...and sometimes my arms get tired (tired,
>but happy!) We'll leave the rest to the hydrodynamic übergeeks to sort
>out.

Steve wrote:
>Boy you sure hit the head on the nail. As someone who works everyday in a
>technical and scientific field, I love the subjective things about kayaking.
>I love just the feel of putting my paddle in the water and making the boat
>move, or the exhilaration of doing a braced side surf to land on a breaking
>wave.

Ron wrote:
>I'm with you! While these guys are reinventing the wheel, lets go for a
>paddle!

Okay, okay, I get the picture. I will not go into a definition of
"planing". I will not start a discussion on the perfect hullshape, the
best material, or the fastest finish of the hull. Still, I'd like to say
a few words to defend myself.

Like Melissa, Steve and Ron, I do enjoy the feeling of the paddle in my
hands, the wind in my hair, the sun glistening on the waves. I don't
really care about hullspeed, except when I paddle in a group (what I
hardly ever do) and find that I can't keep up. So why am I so interested
in the physics of a moving hull, or physics in general? Because, when I
see a rainbow, I can't just drop my jaw and stare in awe. I start
wondering: How did this happen? How can something this beautiful
materialize out of thin air?

I can't climb a rock without looking at its shape, and imagining the
forces that created it, and the forces of erosion that keep changing it.

For me, an understanding of a phenomenon adds to the beauty of it.
Sometimes an understanding is needed to grasp the beauty of things: You
can't appreciate the works of Shakespeare without knowing the English
language. You can't appreciate the music of Bach without an (intuitive)
understanding of harmonics. You can't understand the beauty of a game of
chess without knowing its rules. Without specific knowledge, you are
just looking at a blur of nice colors or movements, missing the whole
point of what you are seeing. 

So, Ron, Melissa and Steve, I think you are missing out on something. I
don't blame you: I blame your teachers in highschool. Probably they have
killed all your interest by drowning you in formulas that no kid could
ever grasp. Pity!
However, the harm is done, there is no way back. I will not try to
educate you, and I will stop preaching to you. But beware: We'll meet
again, at the latest in the next technical discussion!

Niels.
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