jeff potter wrote:
(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per jeff potter:
Yeah,
drafting is a big factor I didn't mention---it's probably effectively
lengthening the waterlines of boats.
Does that mean that the draftee gets a boost too?
--
PeteCresswell

Well, probably not. Don't they even say that bike drafting causes the
leader more work? On second thought I suppose that boat drafting just
means that a following boat can simply find a helpful wave. The lead
boat makes a couple wakes (side and stern). A following boat can climb
one of those waves and put part of his boat on its downhill surface and
go a little faster as a result. I suppose that's all it is. Oh well, it
was an idea... JP

Jeff,

I'm not so sure - there is a huge difference in how boats behave on a
sidewave as opposed to a sternwave. My observation is that two (or 3
boats in a chevron) move faster than 1 boat - *provided* that the boats
are of equal power. A slightly slower boat that is able to sit on, but
can't push the lead boat definitely slows the pair down, but two fast
boats that can push each other a bit seem to move faster together even
if they hold position, not trade off. Riding on a stern wave definitely
doesn't seem to 'push' the lead boat, but may slow it down as you are
?maybe? inducing drag on the 2nd wave (assuming you are riding 'in the
hole'). Not so sure I'm explaining this right - it's mostly a feel
thing without the science to back it up.
This is another masters/doctorate thesis opportunity, I think. There
are so many variables that come into play with racing canoes that defy
the normal calculations used to design hulls. Most design calculations
don't even begin to factor suck water, pop water, or the effect of
paddling next to another boat. Much of that has to be derived thru
empirical testing, and is usually done by stripping a boat, seeing if
you like it, and then maybe building a few. Gene Jensen was great at
lofting a boat, paddling it the next week, and then sawing it open and
tweaking it overnight to retest. But very few designers have/had the
kind of instinct or 'butt feel' that Gene had.
With the instrumentation available today - GPS, heart rate monitors,and
strain gauges, it would be possible to actually zero out some of the
variables like paddler effort and develop some objective measurements of
different boat design.