inside the numbers

[headmount]

I always say downwind paddling is adventures in slow speed and it is compared to wndsrfng or kiting.  But when you're gliding out in the open ocean, the speeds and distances are remarkably similar to surfing or SUP surfing. 

I'm about an average downwind paddler here and my Garmin graphs  tell me that my average glide is around 6-10 secs. which from my experience is about the same length of time for an average surfing wave.  Now I know that if you connect from Coconuts at Honolua all the way through, that might be a 20-30 sec surfing ride. for roughly a football field and your surfing speed might be around what we all calculated Robby's SUS speed (17mph) to be on that record setting duration and length wave in Central America.  But getting a wave all the way thru Honolua or a wave like Robby's isn't what most surfers experience.  And Conner getting 30 sec to 1 min 12 mph glides off Kamalo Molokai isn't the norm in down winding either. 

I recently had some glides off south Maui over 20 secs and that felt long.  Speed was spiking at over 10mph.  But when you lose the glide your speed can go as low as 5mph.  Strange huh, you have to work so hard for 5mph in flat water but it's a low point  when you have over 20mph wind.   Of course it drops lower if you fall or wait up. 

Between 6-8mph seems to be where you really begin to feel a planning speed.   Whether you are surfing or down winding, 8mph @30 secs is 117yds., @15 secs is 58 yds, and what I think is an average glide and surfing duration of 7 sec is 27 yds. 

Of course this is only a comparison with speed and duration.  When it comes to steep and critical, the equation changes... unless you factor in the challenge of some drops you can make with boards 14' or bigger.  And I think most (unless you're a racer) that surf or glide open ocean don't sweat speed and duration.  They enjoy that moment of acceleration when the board takes off.  As a tee shirt once said, "I like the drop"

[Takeo]

Interesting!  I use to take my Garmin out for training and distance paddling but never thought of taking it on downwind.  Wish I had it last week when I did the Kohala run.  I understand your point however, in non downwind conditions, getting up to 5 or 6 mph is desired, in downwind, that could be the norm.  Downwinding sure is a rush but it's all about the stoke..flat water, chop, into the wind, down with the wind, love it all!

[PonoBill]

No question that you're planing on a 16 foot board at 7MPH, the Froude number for 16 feet is 5.36 knots--roughly 6.1 MPH. Since the boards we are on do not have wave-piercing noses they have to run over their bow wave and plane to go 7-8mph.