Doug,

Your article by Vacanti talks volumes of LIFT. You should be able to
answer your own question. Does all the LIFT describe in the article
LIFT the boat? Of course not. Does it help increase Speed? Maybe. Maybe
Not.

Doug, I've spent a life time in the Oil refinery measuring liquid flows.
Orifice Plates designed using Reynold numbers
You and Vacanti have not made mention of the large "Gray Area" of the
Reynolds #
between laminar flow and turbulent flow. It is right in this area that
our keels live.
You also ignored the "Newtonian" factor and just talked Reynolds and
Bernoulli. Let us not forget that each created lifting force has a equal
and opposite force. It is important to identify these forces.

A wind tunnel isn't necessary for the speeds we are dealing with. A
level of water, in the bath tub and shaker of talcum powder on the
surface of the water will show these actions and how they are shedded.

A "Wing Keel" works but in needs motion to make it work. Motion thru the
water. In a "Drifter" a straight fin will outperform it but as motion
increase it will increase its effect and yes it will be more effective.

I think I've said enough for an Old Beached Sailor. I'll back out of
this discussion




http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ThomPage