Re: [Paddlewise] Advice on boats

Carey Parks wrote a well-done synopsis (below my sig) of the trammels and 
travails of "primary stability" as we typically use the term.  I have only 
a couple small bones to pick.

First:  a modicum of primary stability should work for most any boat in 
rough water; it is _secondary_ stability which determines basic 
seaworthiness under difficult sea conditions.  Or, in Carey-speak: "strong 
righting moment with respect to the water's surface [when the boat is on 
edge]".  I am pretty sure Carey understands that; I bring it forward for 
the second issue.

Second:  there should be two regimes where "stability" matters.  The first, 
as above, when the paddler is actively manipulating the righting moment by 
using his/her paddle and body.  The second, when he/she is fishing around 
inside the sprayskirt for goodies to eat, the camera, some warmth for the 
head, etc.  A decent boat should not be so extraordinarily busy in 
conditions where secondary stability is not in the game that a capsize is 
likely without active paddle control.

The rub is in melding these two.  Smarter, more knowledgeable hull-nuts 
than I am sort this out pretty well, for we average Joes and Janes.  I like 
my high-primary-stability cargo barge, and have the meat in my butt and 
arms and thighs to put it over on edge when needed on moderately rough 
seas.  It surfs like the tank it is -- so I do not expect to surf it unless 
pressed, and invariably side surf my butt to shore, thrashing and 
gesticulating physically and mentally.  Someone weaker and/or less massive 
would be unable to paddle this boat with enjoyment or a reasonable degree 
of control in rough conditions.

In short, we should be able to have most our cake and eat it too, if we 
pick the right boat for our body type and strength.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
--

Carey Said:

> 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 tendency 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.
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