: Doesn't a direct relationship assume that the only force a paddler is
: overcoming is friction? I'd expect friction to be secondary to just having
: to displace the water as you move forward.

Most paddlers can feel the wavemaking drag problem we face in their own kayaks if they know what to look for. Just paddle it as hard as you can and wait for the feeling as the speed increases of the boat going up hill. The bow gently rises and the stern feels like it's falling into a hole, which is pretty much exactly what is happening. The human body doesn't generate enough power to make the boat climb up over the bow wave and make it plane on the surface. This is the largest force you have to overcome and is the reason that longer boats have the ability (assuming enough power in present) to go faster.

Bill H.