[Paddlewise] Greenland Paddles - Seeing the Flow.

From: Robert MacDonald <RMacDonald_at_udl.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2004 10:06:38 -0700
Mike wrote:
"One thing I learned in studying and working in hydrodynamics - you 
can't see the flow.  At least not with some specific markers in the 
water (dye etc).  I know a lot of paddlers see surface effects and 
then make assumptions about what's happening, but that's not the same 
thing as seeing what is happening."

I knew someone would point this out.  You can't see the flow, if it is working right, but you can see the vortex, deep in the water, you can see the turbulence created when imperfections on the leading edge trip the flow, you can see the air sucked down the blade if it ventilates, and you can see the immense amount of turbulence when the blade stalls.  No doubt these are gross effects, and we would be better off studying this stuff at the invisible stage, but this whole problem is still at the gross effects stage.  It is good enough to get the hang of how to use the paddle.

Rob.
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Received on Wed Sep 08 2004 - 10:06:51 PDT

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