This is a tough one. Before assuming that one style was "better" than the other one would need to figure out how they could tell it was the bow shape that made a difference. Bifurcated bows were not unusual in other cultures (See Hornell's Water Transport and other books on Pacific canoes). I have built some models of the bows and there is a good argument for the bifurcated bow being an easier build (at least orginally) and the possibility that it persisted in some cultures as the original reason got lost. No way to prove that though. I don't think anyone has shown the bifurcated bow as being hydrodynamically superior. The ones I have seen in use tend to be so shallow that any bow wave cancellation is moot. It would be really neat to have tank tests done. All the datat that I have on bulbs shows that the native bulbs were shaped improperly for wave making reduction. The ones that work are true bulbs not pointed. Tests in my pond support this but my pond is hardly a reliable test facility. Cheers John Winters *************************************************************************** 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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