Allan Bennett wrote:
In article nK2Ud.65307$8a6.4571@trndny09, Kieran
wrote:
Hey there, sorry for the cross-post!

I might be taking on a project where we try to determine the power
(force and velocity) developed by a kayaker while paddling. I'm
wondering if anyone out there knows of any research that's been
done
like this. I know that it is a fairly common thing for rowing
crews to
be "instrumented" with strain guages on the oars, and
potentiometers on
the oarlocks, to get force/time curves for on-water rowing. So,
I'm
wondering if anyone is aware of this sort of study having been done
on
kayaking or canoeing.

The obvious problem with kayaking and canoeing, is that the paddle
has
no fixed pivot point, like a rowing shell does. So most likely
some
sort of video kinematic analysis will be necessary. We have the
capability to set this up, although I think the physics will be
complicated (i.e. statically indeterminant problem). I've done a
search
of the scientific journal literature (Medline) and haven't found
any
published papers on this topic, but that doesn't mean the work
hasn't
been done at some National training center, or product development
center somewhere... or that it's in a very obscure journal that
Medline
doesn't cover.

I'd appreciate any thoughts or hints on who might have done this
sort of
work in the past. I'd rather not re-invent the wheel, if I can
maybe
work on just improving it! :-)


There has been some tensiometric analysis carried out with strain
gauges on
the shaft (see The Canadian Canoe Association Coaching Manual; The
Science of
Canoeing, Richard Cox, ISBN 0 95118931 14). The work has
been repeated from time to time (I've just dismantled my own kit,
sorry).
All the results are similar, but the usefulness is negligible, IMO.

However, I suggest you set up a paddling ergometer which can give you
the
data you require w/o the vagaries of water and weather conditions.


Allan Bennett
Not a fan of square wheels



--

On 3/2, I posted describing the paddle as a large torque wrench. I have
a background in mechanics and have used torgure wrenches. Is this what
you are mentioning for strain gauges?

You say the usefulness of of the measurements are negligible, can you
expound? TnT