Re: [Paddlewise] A question of trim

From: Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu>
Date: Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:40:31 -0800
   Just sip water until trim is just right, then STOP.

Brad Crain
Portland, Oregon

Quoting Steve Cramer <cramersec_at_charter.net>:

> Easy fix, just refill the containers with river water to maintain your
> perfect trim. Or add Genuine Florida Ballast Rocks, which tend to be a
> little lighter than the Canadian variety.
>
> Steve
>
> Carey Parks wrote:
>> Hi Mike,
>>
>> In case you (or perhaps some lurkers) are not familiar with the effect of CG
>> placement on your paddling experience, here's what happened to me last year.
>> We were on a three-day camping excursion down the Peace River here in
>> Florida, and we carried our water as well as the normal camping gear. My 14
>> ft Wilderness Systems Cape Horn was loaded to the gills and then some. But
>> since it was a flatwater trip I didn't mind.
>>
>> Day 1 was great, my packing strategy worked. No issues.
>>
>> Day 2, I drank a couple gallons of water by then, and packed everything
>> where it was the day before. The empty water containers were ahead of my
>> foot pegs in the cockpit where they had been before, but full of water. This
>> day I couldn't get the boat to go straight. Anytime I put any speen on, I
>> mean like three mpg or so, the bow would fall off to one side or the other.
>> Quite frustrating. I was glad when we stopped for the day.
>>
>> Day 3, suspecting that I was loaded too heavy aft, and having consumed more
>> water, I put what water I had left forward, determined to prevent the
>> problem I had the day before. And that I did. I couldn't get the boat to
>> turn without a LOT of effort on my part. It was obvious I had too much
>> weight forward this time.
>>
>> I still couldn't tell you by looking when I have the boat loaded properly.
>> But I can tell you by paddling it when I've got it wrong!
>>
>> Hope this helps.
>>
>> Carey
>
>
> -- 
> Steve Cramer
> Athens, GA
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Received on Tue Nov 06 2007 - 11:40:45 PST

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