G'day, First I should mention that Niels and I have been discussing our power estimates back channel and I believe we are agreed that my estimate of 17 watts transient power differs from Niels 30 watt estimate only because of differences in paddle weight and paddling style. Also when comparing the average power to move a kayak with the average power to lift a paddle I make the crude assumption that the power to lift a paddle is used during half the paddle stroke, so that my average power to lift a paddle is about 8 watts. Niels wrote: >I've studied one of those tables - but it indicated that, >at rest, a man consumes 750 watts of energy. All other >sites claim it to be about 100W, so I don't trust the >table I used. Peter response - I'd agree. Whereever that figure of 750W came from it is quite wrong. The value of 100W is consistent with many studies including the Bicycling Science review table, which quotes 105W. Niels wrote >I find it hard to believe that the power output of >cycling or rowing can be matched by kayaking. Cycling >uses the biggest, strongest muscles you have. Rowing (at >least in a sliding chair) uses those same muscles and >adds the muscles that stretch the back, which are again >quite big. Kayaking, compared to that, is little more >than squirming your torso and flailing your arms. >But that's just belief, and we shouldn't talk about >beliefs. For now, I accept that you output 100W of useful >energy. The storage and usage of potential energy might >be up to 1/3 of that output. Peter response - I see your point about the different muscle types and I have been thinking in terms of tests to exhaustion, whereas Matt's example paddler may not have been exhausted only working at maximun capacity. I'm left with the quandary that the estimates of the power used to lift a paddle seem credible. Yet your points about the different muscle types, together with Matt's long experience in this area, are compelling reasons to accept the lower values of power to paddle a kayak. The problem is that 9 Watts to 18 Watts for a 4knot speed seems to be inconsistent with the 8 watts to 15 watts of average power that might be used just to lift a paddle. But I'll bet a beer at Skiffies that there is an answer to this somewhere! All the best, PeterO *************************************************************************** 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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