: This may be one of my rather uninformed questions: I am looking at the KAPER
: spreadsheet as well as the beta version of Bearboat SP, which has
: comparative numbers for a number of current kayak designs.

: Now, if I were to compare the designs looking at the predicted drag graphs,
: my takeaway would be that for a given target speed, I should pick the
: design that has the lowest drag. Perhaps, I could choose between designs,
: which trade off the lower speed drag against the higher speed drag
: (comparing the Epic 18X Sport, Kayak Pro Marlin, and Stratus 18 you can
: see they all have the same predicted drag at 5mph, but different drag at
: lower and higher speeds).

: Now to my question: I know the design parameters used in the drag predictions
: are dependent on the target displacement. These happen to be 295/290/298.
: Is the assumption a 200 lbs paddler with 50 lbs cargo and then we'll leave
: the rest of the displacement to the weight of the kayak itself? The Sea
: Kayaker description doesn't seem to dwell on this.

: If the above is true and you are a 170lbs paddler going for

Have a look at Hans Friedel's Nordic Arrow, designed for Ken Katz. Ken has commented on it for this board, and has apparently never lost a race to anything other than a surf ski.
-S