Yesterday we did a careful tow test of K2, pulling it nearly directly behind the Protector (on a long line to minimize interference from the wake). The kiteboat was towed steadily for one minute at each of a range of speeds. The results are shown in the attached graph.
We towed Quadfoiler and Stiletto with a 35 foot protector RIB.
Quadfoiler and Stiletto, Speed vs. Load Comparison We instrumented the Quadfoiler and Stiletto boats with a GPS receiver and towed them with a line attached to a load cell. Each boat was first towed directly behind the power boat, then towed while steering so the towed boat was 30-45 degrees away from the center of the wake. The length of the tow line was approximately 40 meters. The plots below show speed vs. load for each towed boat. The red points indicate periods during which the test boat was being pulled directly behind the power boat, while the green points show data recorded while the test boat was […more]
