I'm curious about sponsons - for something so seemingly simple, it is clear from all the reading I've done that they ARENT. I want to learn more.
1) A guy once asked Rod G a question but the answer was never posted (Rod said to call him) about the "heel" (the lower, back edge) of a sponson. The question was about adding some angle or rake on the "heel" towards the tub.... anotherwords having the outer corner shorter than the inner corner if measured from the front of the sponson. I got a square out on my Hallam rigger and to my suprise, discovered there is a very small rake to the outside edge (the outside corner is farther back than the inside corner of the "heel") - I had thought it was 90* and perpendicular to the tub! Why is this? Does it make the water roll off to the outside corner of the sponson and add stability? :huh: What does adding more rake/angle to the outside corner do?
2) Why are the sponsons front edge flat relative to water surface (horizontal axis)? Why dont they come to a true point both horizontally and vertically? Is it to catch air and drive it down the underside of the sponson to tyhe bottom to create lift on the front? :huh:
3) Why is the outside surface of a sponson composed of 2 pieces attached at an angle (when you view it lengthwise). What is the purpose of the angle? What does more angle and less angle do? For that matter why not a flat vertical surface like it is on the inside and back? Chris Wood explained to me that the reason a heel of a sponson is angled vertically is to create lift.... so why isnt the outside of the sponson a single flat vertical surface like the rear is (either angled in for lift or angled out for downforce)?
I KNOW there are reasons for all this, but lacking and engineering/physics degree I dont understand the "why's" and what makes for optimum performance.
1) A guy once asked Rod G a question but the answer was never posted (Rod said to call him) about the "heel" (the lower, back edge) of a sponson. The question was about adding some angle or rake on the "heel" towards the tub.... anotherwords having the outer corner shorter than the inner corner if measured from the front of the sponson. I got a square out on my Hallam rigger and to my suprise, discovered there is a very small rake to the outside edge (the outside corner is farther back than the inside corner of the "heel") - I had thought it was 90* and perpendicular to the tub! Why is this? Does it make the water roll off to the outside corner of the sponson and add stability? :huh: What does adding more rake/angle to the outside corner do?
2) Why are the sponsons front edge flat relative to water surface (horizontal axis)? Why dont they come to a true point both horizontally and vertically? Is it to catch air and drive it down the underside of the sponson to tyhe bottom to create lift on the front? :huh:
3) Why is the outside surface of a sponson composed of 2 pieces attached at an angle (when you view it lengthwise). What is the purpose of the angle? What does more angle and less angle do? For that matter why not a flat vertical surface like it is on the inside and back? Chris Wood explained to me that the reason a heel of a sponson is angled vertically is to create lift.... so why isnt the outside of the sponson a single flat vertical surface like the rear is (either angled in for lift or angled out for downforce)?
I KNOW there are reasons for all this, but lacking and engineering/physics degree I dont understand the "why's" and what makes for optimum performance.
However my inital 3 areas of questioning remain unanswered in that thread (except #3 in an indirect way).
