[Paddlewise] Comparing sweeps chine and round hull - Intertia vs critically damped response

G'Day,

On Saturday I was comparing two sea kayaks: a 5m round hulled Pittarak
(similar to an Icefloe) vs. a 5.5m chined Tahe Greenland style kayak.

Both boats have very little rocker and rely on edging if you want to make a
sharp sweep turn. The Tahe has a much shallower deck and lower wind
resistance so that ability to turn using a forward sweep is symmetrical
independent of orientation to the wind. Selecting the best technique for
turning a Pittarak depend significantly on its orientation to the wind. 

I noticed that the Tahe responded very precisely to the forward sweep stroke
and with virtually no momentum i.e. as if it were critically damped, perhaps
by turbulence or some other hydraulic resistance at the chined section of
the hull, which extended either side of the midsection along about half the
length of the boat. In conditions of low wind the Pittarak continues to turn
long after a single sweep provided one holds the edge. The Tahe perhaps
needed a couple more sweeps to turn the boat through 180 degrees. 

I'm not suggesting that one hull is 'better' than the other, but would be
curious to understand the pro's and cons of these different characteristics
and whether they apply in general to most rounded hull vs. chined kayaks.

All the best, Peter
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************