“DELTA” is a racing canoe with a semicircular cross section; the keel at the aft part makes this sharp, to ensure good steering qualities. The greatest width is placed 1/3 of the boat’s length from the aft. The boat height, 32,5 cm at the widest spot, makes it possible to have a width at only 37 cm at the water line. The boat height is reduced rapidly towards the stem and stern, to reduce the wind pressure and give freedom of movements. This “reverse rocker”, witch is common now a days, unfortunately makes the boat lower than desirable, at the stem and stern.
The designer didn’t want to create a boat witch, can only be used at still water, therefore the missing height and carrying capacity by the stem and stern, is equalised by a special shape of deck and freeboard.
In the fore and aft body the sharp edges by the gunwale have disappeared, the even surfaces, witch normally slant towards the stem, have also disappeared. Instead the deck and bottom at “DELTA” are one construction witch offer little resistance to the wind, and never get stocked in a wave.
In the fore body there are no vertical freeboards, curved shapes are used instead, witch give a lower bow wave, and a greater reserve of carrying capacity above the water line. In the rest of the hull, the carrying capacities are also increased rapidly up towards the gunwale. Therefore “DELTA” is not very ticklish, in spite of the extreme slenderness at the bottom. An other advantage is that the light paddlers get the narrowest possible shape of a bottom under the water, while the heavy paddlers will use the lines with more fullness a little higher in the hull. In both cases the lines are 100 % smooth and effective, and therefore the carrying capacity can vary form 65 to 85 kg.
The aft body is low, but also here the new shape of the deck and freeboard gives a good protection against swamp when rowing at rough water. All boats turn up against the wind, when it comes from the side. The modern canoes, which have their highest point behind the middle, are the most disposed. The outcome of a race is often depended on the ability of steering. There is only one way to get better steering qualities in a canoe, in side wind: a low aft body.
“DELTA” is course stabile under all wind conditions. It can be tilted very much on the side, without taking water, and turn close to the buoy.
There is naturally a waterproof bulkhead at the fore and aft, and the boat is supplied with a smooth plastic strip for protection along the gunwale.
Paddler: 65 - 85 kg
Designer: Jørgen Samson
