A New Measurement System for Performance Analysis in Flatwater Sprint Kayaking

Vincenzo Bonaiuto,Giorgio Gatta,Paolo Boatto,Nunzio Lanotte,Giuseppe Annino,Cristian Romagnoli

doi:10.3390/proceedings2020049039

Vincenzo Bonaiuto, Giorgio Gatta + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2020049039

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Abstract

The full comprehension of the impact with which each force is involved in kayak propulsion is very difficult. The measure of the force on the paddle or the stroke rate only is often not enough for the coach to identify the best actions useful to improve the performances of a kayaker. To this purpose, the synchronous measurement of all parameters involved in the kayak propulsion, both dynamic (force acting on paddle and foot brace) and kinematic (stroke frequency, displacement, velocity, acceleration, roll, yaw, and pitch of the boat) could suggest to the coach more appropriate strategies for better understanding of the paddler’s motion and the relevant effects on the kayak behavior. Some simulation models, as well as measurement systems of increasing complexity, have been proposed in the recent years. In this paper, we present the e-Kayak system: A multichannel Digital Acquisition (DAQ) system specifically customized for flatwater kayaking. The system will be described in depth and its capability investigated through specific measurement results.

Highlights

In flatwater sprint kayaking, fully comprehending the effectiveness of the paddling technique on the kayak’s propulsion can be often very hard [1]
Because the forces that the kayaker applies with the paddle act far from the axis of the craft, it is worth to note that each stroke will create a momentum, which will tend to turn the kayak
We present a new electronic measurement system suited for flatwater kayaking application

Summary

Introduction

Fully comprehending the effectiveness of the paddling technique on the kayak’s propulsion can be often very hard [1]. The kayaker, during the acceleration phase, has to generate propulsive forces greater than the resistive force offered by the water acting on the boat and, to a lesser extent, the resistance offered by the air. Because the forces that the kayaker applies with the paddle act far from the axis of the craft, it is worth to note that each stroke will create a momentum, which will tend to turn the kayak [9]. These rotations are somewhat compensated for by the particular design of the hull, Proceedings 2020, 49, 39; doi:10.3390/proceedings2020049039 www.mdpi.com/journal/proceedings

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