Re: Fiddling while Athens blows (was Athens wind tunnel doubling as a course)

Neil Wallace <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
> "Carl Douglas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
> snip
> > Readers might care to ponder the news that, disregarding the essential
> > mechanics of the swamping they hope to prevent or reduce, coaches are
> > already demanding redesigns & defining equipment for Schinias 2004.
> >
> > In 2 national teams coaches apparently believe that shells sink because
> > riggers create spray.  So they are demanding wing riggers & significant
> > structural changes but not, in one such case, any buoyancy measures.
> snip
>
>
> I would suspect the aim of the 2 national team coaches is not to prevent a
> swamping, as you assert.
> Surely they are hoping that in less than ideal conditions they have minimal
> interference with the wave tips on the basis of speed alone.

My information is that their concern is 2-fold: that water in the boat & 
water impacts with riggers will both affect performance.

Thus one team wants higher saxboards (to keep water out) while also 
demanding wing riggers, apparently unaware that the one precludes the 
other.  They want speakers elevated to prevent short circuits.  And, as 
I said, they want the boats designed to allow water to flow along the 
length of the boat (apparently to allow bailing, yet unaware that it 
will accelerate swamping).

They are also concerned about stability & thus proposing deeper fins, 
etc. The adverse consequences for stability & speed of wind buffetting & 
water slap on wing rigger plan-forms seem not to have been perceived.

Cheers -
Carl
--
Carl Douglas Racing Shells        -
    Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories
Write: The Boathouse, Timsway, Chertsey Lane, Staines TW18 3JY, UK
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