On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 13:30:05 GMT, Brian Whatcott
wrote:

Famous aero design concept:
Simplicate and add lightness

True, except that boatbuilders' budgets usually don't allow for that much
weight reduction. Lost weight always costs about 10 times what it would have
cost to leave it there. And that has been true since the dugout....


The opportunity cost of weight is different afloat, I'd think. There
is a decrement in freeboard, I suppose, with its increment in skin
friction: but either the operating speed is low, so the friction is
modest; or the speed is high, and the excess weight is hauled out of
the wash on the plane, wouldn't you think?

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For most cruising sailboats there is little payback in reducing weight
but the designers of racing sailboats go to fanatical trouble and
expense to reduce weight. The benefits are much more than reduced
friction. Weight aloft causes increased heeling and pitching. Weight
in the ends increases pitching. Weight anywhere decreases
acceleration. Weight in the hull is better served by increased weight
in the keel.