mitchmellow Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 I have become curious. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a multiple chine versus a single or hard chine kayak? I notice that Jeff has 3 multi-chine designs and the rest are single/hard. Are there advantages in performance? I'm sure this learned group can shed light on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAR Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 Multi chine designs more closely mimic round bilge shapes, making it easier to improve design attributes, without unnecessary Cp or eddy making. A single chine design is simple to build, but even with well radiused chines, you'll get some pressure bleed along the chines, which will create drag, from eddy making. With human powered craft, this is an important consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich D Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 Here is what 'Pygmy Boats' has to say on the subject. http://www.pygmyboats.com/hard-chine-vs-multi-chine.html My personal preference, based on comfort alone, is the multi-chine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzu Posted December 18, 2013 Report Share Posted December 18, 2013 I stick with the hard chine on most designs because they are simpler, cheaper, lighter and faster to build. I have looked at adding a second chine on a couple of designs but it didn't seem to add anything worth the effort. It takes more than that to really be able to change the shape of the hull enough to be worth it. I like the multi-chine design because it is faster/easier to paddle/more efficient, take your pick there as how to describe it. But the resistance is lower at the same speed for a similar boat. The differences are not dramatic but if you paddle one and then jump in the other you can feel the difference. Otherwise it's not something most will notice because it is small difference. But if you race or are into faster paddling that is important. Building a mult-chine takes more time and will weight a pound or two more. Also takes a little more work to cut out the frames because of all the notches. For the casual paddler there isn't really much practical difference. Of course you may like the way one boat feels over another. That is what really matters for most. Is the boat comfortable and you like paddling it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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