New research project: This is how water sports equipment races to the finish line!

New research project: This is how water sports equipment races to the finish line!

Researchers of the University of Rostock are currently analyzing the geometry of water sports equipment in order to bring them to maximum speed. The focus of their investigations is on the question of which shapes produce the least waves in the water. Reduced wave formation can minimize athletes' energy loss and increase speed.

The project is led by Professor Florian Sprenger, head of the Chair of Shipbuilding, and Professor Sascha Kosleck, who holds the Chair of Marine Engineering. They are supported by the Institute for Research and Development of Sports Equipment in Berlin (FES). The series of experiments takes place in the Rostock circular canal, where the researchers move models on a circular path.

Technical details of the test series

A rotating arm is used to test the models at high speeds. These models are precisely adapted to the circular path, which ensures comparability to classic flow tests. In the series of tests, eleven different shapes are tested at seven different speeds. The resistance, the stability of the models in the water and the wave pattern are examined in detail.

The findings from this series of experiments could have significant implications for the use of water sports equipment in official competitions. The research pursues the overarching goal of developing designs that are optimally tailored to the physical conditions.

Hydrodynamics and its challenges

Hydrodynamics is crucial to understanding the forces and moments acting on bodies like kayaks in the water. This discipline is extremely complex and cannot be fully understood theoretically. Rather, the scientists combine theoretical approaches with practical knowledge and model experiments. Computational techniques such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) play an important role in ship design in the industry.

The different resistance components that influence each other are also important. The total resistance (RT) consists, among other things, of the wave resistance (RW), frictional resistance (RF) and the viscous pressure resistance (RVD). These components are crucial to finding a trouble-free and fast kayak design that offers both comfort and stability.

Against this background, Froud's number (FN) is a relevant key figure that describes the similarity of the wave pattern of different bodies in liquids. To accurately understand and minimize total resistance, scientists use various approximations and statistical methods, including the Holtrop and Mennen, Holtrop and Taylor series methods.

The results of this comprehensive research could not only revolutionize the performance of water sports equipment, but also make a significant contribution to the further development of the entire industry. Further information about the methods and results can be found on the website University of Rostock can be viewed.