Re: Weather Cocking Thoug

Posted by LeeG on Jul 29, 2006

funny you should mention it. I was paddling a QCC400(glass,JohnWinters design) yesterday in strong breeze. It's a canoe body shape with a slight v to the keeline and lots of windage. But it surprised me with much less weathercocking than I expected. Anywho I don't think there's much of a connection between weathercocking and numbers of panels as much as a four panel hull will compromise a few significant characteristics to gain an advantage with one other characteristics.

In other words a four panel hull will lose stability/wave handling quicker than a molded hull if you try and make it very skinny and fast compared to a molded hull. Or if you try and balance out the weathercocking AND have a fast hull you'll lose maneuverability, or if you want fast and maneuverable you'll have more weathercocking. The important thing is that if the design compromises more of something and it requires more paddler skill to utilize the speed/maneuverability/whatever that it is responsive to that skill. If it's not then why fight it, put on a rudder. With a molded hull you can get closer to the golden mean on a range of desirable characteristics.

It's easy to draw conclusions from a small test sample of boats,,especially with s&g designs as there really aren't that many multipanel hulls to make a comparison compared to four panel hulls. Plywood lends itself to four panel/hard-chine designs.

In Response to: Weather Cocking Thoughts by Mac on Jul 29, 2006

Replies:

• Re: Weather Cocking Thoug by Mac on Jul 29, 2006