: I use speed/resistance/drag interchangeably. Not necessarily
: meaning top speed. I like the term slippery, that is a good way
: to say what I meant. I am going to use that!

: When I design I boat I look at speed ranges from 1.5 to about 5
: knots. Above that your into either sprints or those few really
: good paddlers. I designed one boat to have lower resistance at
: slower speeds that most casual paddlers stay in. It is a good
: boat in it element but it's a dog much above 4.5 mph. You have
: to work hard to hit 5 mph in it. Good luck pushing it past that!
: But at 3.5-4 mph its fast. :-) Meaning easy to paddle or as you
: said slippery.

Again it depends on what you're used to. For me a boat that has a realistic top end under about 6 or 6.5 mph seems limiting and I much prefer a boat that has the upper limit around 7 or 7.5 mph and will happily put up with the additional drag at lower speeds to have it. This also means I prefer long skinny boats, waterline length under 15' is to me too limiting.

Bill H.