Perhaps the first paddling truism I ever learned is that tandem paddlers must always paddle in sync. Recently, I began wondering whether there really was any truth to that old saw. It turns out that there is, and the underlying reasons are both obvious, and unexpected. Contents: Paddle blade force vs. time (real, idealized, average), Drag force vs. hull speed, Hull speed over time for two scenarios, Summed paddle force profiles for in-phase and slightly out-of-phase stroke
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