The Ideal Trim

How to setup your boat

As with any high performance machine, there is an ideal configuration where our boats are at peak efficiency, specifically with the angle of attack (pitch). This guide will help you through trim your boat in order to be at that perfect angle when at speed.

1. Check the attached sheet to find the measures for your boat size. These will give you the ideal position of the waterline at racing speed and while stationary. You can also print and cut the bow and stern cutouts;
2. Using a marker trace a line on both bow and stern for the ideal waterline, and for the static line;
3. With the boat stopped, adjust your seat and footrest position so that the static line is leveled with the waterline. This will give you a good starting point for the next steps;
4. Go paddle the boat at racing speed (around 18 Km/h for a K1) and have someone track you side by side. Record from the side and analyse;
5. If the lines on the boat are not at the same distance from the waterline adjust your seat and footrest positions forwards or backwards if the boat is bow up or bow down respectively. Repeat the test on number 4.
6. The measures we provide are for the median weight for each boat size (80Kg on an L, for example). So if you are on the limits of the boat’s weight range, the lines will be over or under water, but the most important is that they are at the same height.

Disclaimer

These ideal trims were the result of real world testing and CFD analysis, under optimal conditions: flat water, constant speed, no wind, average water temperature. Meaning that theses results may not apply for other scenarios.