Just what is cruising speed?

Cruising speed really depends on the boat design- every design has a speed at which the boat is resting on the bow and stern waves. The only way to define is economic use of energy. Going faster than cruise speed is going to cause a much greater expenditure of energy.  Cruise speed can be defined artificially as that speed that your own personal aerobics defines. One of the goals of training is to be able to achieve the boat's cruise speed aerobically in harmony.  Cruising speed isn't much of an issue unless a thunderstorm is chasing you back to your car or you're cruising in a group and there's some intention of staying together. I got to thinking about it today when I read a couple posts that mentioned average paddling speed.  Cruising speed for runners is really not that negotiable in my experience: going slower doesn't feel right; going even a little faster will wear you out quick. Not sure if it's the same for boaters. Maybe its easier to adjust cruising speed.To delve a little further- cruising speed is actually part of the design. When you look at speed versus resistance graphs this fact becomes quite apparent. The Seda Glider, for instance, is a tugboat at low speeds, not even ranking in the top ten of commercially manufactuered boats...but as you approach 5-6 knots, or 6-7 mph, it begins to go into its "glide" or cruising speed and resistance drops way down compared to other boats. This is a "mechanical" measurement done at the sea lab in Bethesda.  So...do you have the power, and more importantly, the technique to achieve 6 mph comfortably? Maybe not.  Then you are looking at boats that perform best at 3 knots- The andromeda (current designs) or the Nordkapp H20.  Tony? Threw a loop saying cruising speed isn't an issue, then talked about running experience, and cruising speed feeling just right. That's what happens in a boat. When you hit cruising speed you are aerobic, the boat is just gliding away, birds are singing and the world is right. You really can't "adjust" the cruising speed of a boat- that's a design issue, what you adjust is your ability to achieve cruising speed, or to go beyond when necessary (into the scarey realm of anerobics).

Namaste,
Mati

PS. This information was gleaned from the St.Louis Canoe & Kayak Club forum on yahoo groups.