: I found this interesting web page that calculates the maximum speed
: for a rower.
: http://www.sciencebits.com/rowers

: It's a bit disconcerting that the page discusses 'rower boats',
: I don't understand all of the math, but the sum of it is that over
: 2000 meters the minimum time is 400 seconds which is 5 m/s or
: 9.7 knots.

: I believe I calculated the winners of the kayaking (not rowing)
: events at the Beijing Olympics 2008, was about 12 knots.

: Why I thought it worth sharing is that a lot of it is different
: from most of the analysis of hull speeds, etc... that I've seen.

: always,
: Will N

Have to understand how the "hull speed" calculation was derived. Was done experimentally from what I understand and was based on the average displacement hull of the era, which is little similiar to a kayak or a rowing shell for that matter. The mulitplier is somewhat fluid, depends on what kind of boat you're taking about what the multiplier will be.

What the hull speed for a 40' sailboat that weighs 20,000 lbs. and what a kayak that might be 17' long and with the paddler might weigh 200 lbs. won't use the same formula, it's all based on the waves generated, very obvious these two hulls will produce different kind of wave patterns.

Bill H.