[hpv-boats] Fwd: Human Power Output

[Rick Willoughby]

This is an old one that got lost in the transfer.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Rick Willoughby <rickwill at bigpond.net.au>
> Date: 25 March 2011 11:55:12 PM
> To: HPV Boat <hpv-boats at bikelist.org>
> Subject: Human Power Output
>
> Brad
> re
>
>
> The figure I'm most interested in is
>
> speed/watts sustained
>
> speed/watts in a sprint
>
>
> with a mono-hull design.
>
>
>
>
> Brad
>
> This link provides a spreadsheet that shows the specific power for  
> males and females for certain durations at various levels of training.
> http://home.trainingpeaks.com/media/69406/powerprofiling_v4.xls
> Given other data I have seen on top athletes this seems fair.
>
> The bottom category of untrained does not mean unfit.  A 75kg male  
> needs to be in good shape to sustain 150W i.e. 2W/kg.  This is  
> shown as the bottom end of untrained in the spreadsheet but there  
> are a number of world 24hr distance records on land and water that  
> have been set with lower power levels than this.
>
> The speed that can be achieved depends primarily on the total boat  
> weight and the hull shape.
>
> An optimised boat built for minimum weight (18kg for the boat is  
> the best I know) using high specific strengthmaterials will get  
> about 12kph with 150W - in calm conditions.  Speed will be lower  
> with a head wind and wind waves.
>
> The same hull will get around 18kph with 500W.  This is similar to  
> a rowing shell and a little faster than a K1 or surfski.  Once you  
> get up to this sort of power it is better to use foils rather than  
> optimising the hull shape if operating in clear water and your  
> interest is solely outright speed. Decavitator average about 36kph  
> over 100m.
>
> Rick Willoughby
>
>

Rick Willoughby