Articles

Updated: 1 June 2023

The Science of Paddling is now in print! You can learn out more about the book, download a sample chapter, and find options for ordering here.

Click here for the latest post, “The Science of Publishing.”

What article(s) should I read first? Are certain articles “prerequisites” for later installments?

Good questions!

Articles in the Science of Paddling series are numbered in the order that they were posted. At present there are forty articles and one podcast, and they do fall into a few logical groupings. So where to begin?

Since it serves as the basis for several later articles, Part 1: Tandem vs. Solo is the best place to start. After that, follow your bliss depending on your particular category of interest. Posts are organized below by group, where later articles in a given category (often) build upon previous articles in that category. Some of you may wish to check out Part 27: Reading Mathematics as well.

Training Articles

Part 6: What Fuels You presents an overview of exercise physiology, with emphasis on the various metabolic systems that are engaged in particular exercise intensities and durations.

Part 9: Power to the Paddlers explores how Velocity Based Training, which emphasizes developing power, may be the most suitable type of strength training for paddlers.

Part 12: The Deflection Point presents a way to determine one’s anaerobic threshold using a paddling-specific step test.

Part 17: 30-30 Intervals adapts a running interval protocol to paddling so as to maximize VO2max.

Part 15: Speed Above Replacement provides a way to quantify a paddler’s power generation in comparison to other paddlers in a boat.

Part 28: Plan to Train presents a top-down approach to developing a periodized full- or partial-year training program.

Paddling Physics Articles

Part 3: The Rough Stuff presents a general overview of drag with a particular focus on the first leg of the “drag trifecta” of viscous, form, and wave drag. Topics include laminar flow, laminar-to-turbulent transition, sublayer bursting, and a summary of novel approaches to drag reduction.

Part 4: Shallow Water presents a wave propagation-based view of wave drag for deep and shallow water.

Part 5: What Moves You uses the principle of conservation of momentum to explain what actually makes a hull move when paddled.

Part 7: There and Back shows that you don’t gain enough time running with the current to offset time losses paddling upstream in out-and-back courses.

Part 18: Many Rivers to Cross looks at approaches to crossing a river in the presence of current that is optimal with respect to either time or distance.

Part 2: Paddling in Sync considers the importance of stroke synchronization in tandem teams.

Part 11: About the Bend considers whether bentshaft paddles provide any benefit vs. straight shaft paddles, and whether there might be an “optimal” bend angle.

Part 19: Roll Your Boat provides an overview of hull stability in roll, including a model for free surface effects in a partially swamped boat.

Part 14: Kind of a Drag presents a way of measuring the drag coefficient for a hull in the field.

Part 20: Cutting Corners looks at the problem of cutting shallow water corners using a wave speed-based metric.

Part 21: Use the Force presents a way to qualitatively measure paddling force, helping you become a paddling physicist in the process.

Part 24: Tales of Power shows how analysis absent good physics can lead to dead ends when searching for a simple way to measure paddling force and power.

Part 25: Impulse, Part 1 uses concepts of applied force and momentum to parameterize paddling in terms of three quantities: impulse, duty cycle, and cadence.

Part 33: Impulse Revisited completes the impulse story. The Beatles wrote, “All you need is love.” For paddling, all you need is impulse.

Part 26: Waking Up quantifies the third leg of the drag trifecta, form drag, which is present even in the absence of friction or wave-making.

Part 29: Trim looks at trim’s effect on turning, in light of Part 26’s exposition on form drag.

Part 32: Home on the Ranges fills in a gaps in our analysis for a few ranges of operation, presenting a new power-to-weight ratio relevant to starts, jumps, and other changes of gear.

Part 34: Start Me Up uses numerical simulation to compare difference cadences and propulsive force profiles when starting a hull from a dead stop.

Part 35: Waves, Linear and Nonlinear provides an overview of surface water waves in deep water, shallow water, and large-amplitude shallow water waves (solitons).

Part 36: Total Drag is a summary of the three components of drag that act upon our hulls, illustrating the tradeoffs in picking a hull given a paddler’s weight.

Part 37: A Handling Compendium summarizes the forces that impact control control in various handling scenarios.

Part 38: Surf’s Up! looks at the physics behind wave surfing and wake riding.

Sensors, Measurement, and Technology Articles

Part 14: Kind of a Drag presents a way of measuring the drag coefficient for a hull in the field.

Part 16: Cycles and Cycloids considers whether bicycling cadence sensors can be used to measure paddling cadence for kayakers. This article includes a brief exposition on how accelerometers work.

Part 21: Use the Force presents a way to qualitatively measure paddling force, helping you become a paddling physicist in the process.

Part 22: There You Are – Mobile GPS provides an overview of how GPS works, as well as a brief history of mobile GPS for sports.

Part 23: Aerosol Transport over Tandem Canoes considers the transport of particles and droplets between the bow and stern seat locations in a tandem canoe while underway.

Other Articles

Part 13: Where’s the Science? is a brief foray into the philosophy of science, with particular emphasis on how assumptions are made (and used) in mathematics, science, engineering, and Science of Paddling articles.

Part 8: Leveling the Field uses physics to derive a time-adjustment bonus in the NECKRA Points Series for women C-1 racers.

Part 10: Linearizing the Field builds upon Leveling the Field, and looks at the validity of additive bonuses in adjusting finishing times based upon age, hull, and sex.

Part 24: Tales of Power shows how analysis absent good physics can lead to dead ends when searching for a simple way to measure paddling force and power. An article on process in science and engineering.

Part 27: Reading Mathematics is a primer on how to read mathematics; an overview of the language that underpins the science in these articles.

Part 30: Power Ranking presents a novel way of ranking paddlers based on comparative race results.

Part 31: The IP of Paddles is a primer on patents highlighting a few (perhaps impractical) inventive paddles.

Part 39: The Science of Publishing looks at what was involved in writing and self-publishing the Science of Paddling book. A primer for those of you who might want to write a book.