Re: [Paddlewise] Advice on boats

Carey,
I think your post misses the point.  We are not discussing a big wide stable 
boat in rough conditions.  The question is whether a small bit of reserve 
buoyancy (as suggested at the Tiderace site) and add to handling ease in 
these conditions.  Compare the Tiderace Excite to the Nordkapp LV, both 21 
inches in beam and similar lengths and similar design intent.  The Tiderace 
will have a bit more stability than the NLV, and perhaps give better 
feedback in unruly water.  The Tiderace is not going to incline to 45 deg on 
such a wave any more than the NLV.  One will just be more comfortable and 
have to pay less attention to staying upright.  I see only advantages to 
this small increment in stability.

Jerry

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carey Parks" <carey_at_jimparksfamily.com>
To: "Paddlewise" <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2009 10:09 AM
Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Advice on boats


>I might have this wrong, so I'm posting it mainly to see how many arrows it
> attracts.
>
> First, semantics may play a role here. "Stable" sounds like a good thing
> when you ask someone would you want your boat stable? But if you 
> substitute
> "strong righting moment with respect to the water's surface" it might make
> one think a little before answering.
>
> If the water is horizontal, the "stableness" of the boat will also tend 
> keep
> you horizontal. If the water were to incline to 45 degrees, that 
> stableness
> would tend to incline you to 45 degrees. Ditto 90. How strong this 
> tendendcy
> is depends on how "stable" the boat is.
>
> Now taking the opposite extreme, if your boat had zero "stability", on 
> flat
> water it would have zero tendency to keep you horizontal. Your attitude is
> all dynamic and up to you. If the water were to incline to 45 degrees, it
> would have zero tendency to incline you to 45 degrees. Ditto 90. Your
> attitude is all dynamic and up to you.
>
> So, I'm thinking it's pick your poison. If you are all of the time in flat
> water "stable" is good. If you are really worried about water with 
> texture,
> even if it's that one crossing back from the island when the sea gets up,
> maybe not so much.
>
> As long as you have a paddle in the water and are applying force, it's
> pretty easy to control your attitude. It's only sitting with your paddle 
> in
> your lap that the boat needs to take over the job of staying upright. I
> doubt Doug spends much time fishing or taking photograps when he paddles 
> in
> a gale at night.
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