RE: [Paddlewise] Testing

On 22 Sep 2004 at 9:42, Colin Calder wrote:

> Good science doesn't necessarily require the removal of the human
> element, especially where it is an important component of the variable
> your trying to test.

While all your comments are valid in their context, the purpose of 
the tests proposed is to evaluate the paddles independent of the 
paddler.  

If we want a fairly complete understanding of the paddles, we need to 
study them both independent of the paddler and in the paddler's 
hands.  Since the big debate lately is on the paddle performance 
characteristics in the water (lift vs drag, efficiency etc) we need 
to isolate the paddle from the paddler.  Once we understand the 
paddle, then we can look at the paddle in the hands of the paddler.

It's like any investigation of physical phenomona.  We examine the 
behavior of the components before the behavior of the composite.  
Engineers study beams and columns before they study building frames.  
Wind tunnel tests of wings are done before wind tunnel tests of 
complete aircraft.

Considering how much we know about hulls and humans, it's surprising 
how little we know about paddles.

Mike
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