two mundane facts, Speed Coach HR, width of seat tracks

[1xsculler]

I just discovered that a boat with seat tracks that are about 20 cm apart, or more, are noticeably more stable than a boat with seat tracks about 12 cm apart. I made this comparison using the same hull and I was very surprised at the difference. It makes sense but it really surprised me how noticeable the difference was.

If the 2032 battery in my Speed Coach HR transmitter has less than 3.2 volts I get inaccurate and erratic HR numbers.

[KitD]

Re. the seat tracks, this is one advantage of wing riggers. It allows the boat to be built without rigger-supporting shoulders, which in turn allows the tracks to be moved further apart.

[sul]

I just discovered that a boat with seat tracks that are about 20 cm apart, or more, are noticeably more stable than a boat with seat tracks about 12 cm apart. I made this comparison using the same hull and I was very surprised at the difference. It makes sense but it really surprised me how noticeable the difference was.

If the 2032 battery in my Speed Coach HR transmitter has less than 3.2 volts I get inaccurate and erratic HR numbers.

interesting. Never noticed or thought of this.

When you say "same hull" do you mean same exact boat, or same builder and model?

I've had "same model" shells where one feels tippier than other, same track width. I've never tried to account for why, there can be rigging factors, height of seat etc.

[1xsculler]

Same hull, i.e. my 2012 Van Dusen Advantage. I usually rig it with a 2007 Wintech carbon wing rigger designed for stern mounting, reversed and mounted in the bow and, just for the fun of it on other occasions, with Van Dusen Traditional Carbon Tube riggers using a Traditional Van Dusen knee to end up with a 23 # boat. I find it much easier to carry a 23 # boat from my shop to the water than having to pack a 31 # boat.

[Stelph]

Same hull, i.e. my 2012 Van Dusen Advantage. I usually rig it with a 2007 Wintech carbon wing rigger designed for stern mounting, reversed and mounted in the bow and, just for the fun of it on other occasions, with Van Dusen Traditional Carbon Tube riggers using a Traditional Van Dusen knee to end up with a 23 # boat. I find it much easier to carry a 23 # boat from my shop to the water than having to pack a 31 # boat.

Although I can see how wider tracks might help stability, the main thing im struggling with is picturing how switching you're from a wing to the carbon riggers and changing the width of the runners/seat tracks? Surely the runners stay where they are?

[1xsculler]

when I initially decided to mount the Traditional knee and carbon tube outriggers to my Advantage hull I thought I would have to place the seat tracks closer together, as they are in a Traditional, so that they would fit between the shoulders of the knee. I did install the tracks in that close together configuration and rowed with them like that for a couple of weeks but still kept the Wintech bow-mounted wing in place as I contemplated the best way to mount the carbon tubes. In the end it worked out better to reverse the carbon tubes, so the long arms attached in the bow position, which positioned the knee in the open part of the footwell so I didn't have to cut a rectangular hole in the rower's bench to fit the knee. That also allowed me to move the tracks back out to their original width.
Will attach pics soon.

[Stelph]

What an impressive mod, why did you decide to have the two rigger setup options? It would be the ultimate boat to test the benefits of wing riggers vs traditional riggers once and for all

[1xsculler]

The only advantage of Van Dusen Traditional carbon tube outriggers is that they are very light. You can reduce the weight of almost any 1x by about 3 to 5 #s by using them, i.e. a Fluid rigger weighs about 8 #s, whereas VD Traditional outriggers plus knee weighs about 3 #s. A 2007 Wintech carbon wing designed for rear mounting weighs about 7 #s. A 27 # Fluid, and there are a few around, would weigh 22 #s if you mounted VD Traditional carbon tubes and changed out the foot stretcher for a modified VD one. Carlo has some interesting figures concerning boat weight in his book, Winning Head Races. He must not take weight too seriously because he also packs a 16 oz water bottle with him to the start.

The two disadvantages of the VD carbon tubes are that, like many boats not using stays supporting the tops of the pins, drive force would tend to flex the rigger by torquing the pin and the tubes being mounted on the outside of the hull may impede boat speed in rough water.

I prefer "C shaped" pin supports, as depicted on the photo of my boat with the Wintech wing, because the drive force is directed to the middle of the pin and they are nearly infinitely adjustable for outboard and fore and aft pitch.

Prior to this experiment I was a big fan of Empacher "S" carbon tube outriggers or the same type as used on some Filippis and Wintechs but now, experiencing the reduced stability of narrow seat track placement because they have to fit between the shoulders of the knee, my favorite rigger is the bow-mounted carbon wing with "C" shaped pin supports.

For the first time in several weeks I rowed my boat with the Winch rigger this morning and I'll have to admit I prefer rowing the 23 # configuration (VD carbon tubes).