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From: sabol@reed.UUCP (Bryan Sabol)
Newsgroups: net.rec.ski,net.physics
Subject: Re: ski tips, up or down?
Message-ID: <1047@reed.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Mar-85 03:13:17 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.1047
Posted: Tue Mar  5 03:13:17 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 8-Mar-85 02:46:59 EST
References: <518@intelca.UUCP>
Reply-To: sabol@reed.UUCP (PUT YOUR NAME HERE)
Distribution: net
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 22
Xref: watmath net.rec.ski:410 net.physics:2210
Summary: 


In answer to the aerodynamically important question of what the most optimum wayto load your skis, the answer in most every case is:
    DEFINATELY SKI TIPS FORWARD AND DOWN.
	The simple deductive reasoning is the following:
1)First, if one placed the tips up and forward, thinking of a 'spoiler' or such,
  the result would be a (relatively) great drag on the car. The only way the 
  tips would help in the 'up' position would be if they were perfectly aerody-
  namic. Note the shape of an airplane wing -- there has to be a very specific
  ratio of upper suface to lower suface to provide the lift (or drag); a slight
  deviation from this ratio (e.g., our skis) will result in more wind disturb-
  ance and take a little from the car's gas milage.
2)Tips backward and up would only deflect the wind up. This position might be
  beneficial if one were driving a semi, as there was a large mass over which
  the air needed to be deflected. Otherwise, no help is given here.
3)Tips backward and down do mostly nothing, save add a little bit of turbulance
  by the flat ends of the skis (and the posts of the bracket assembly).
4)Tips forward and down will provide a 'smoother' path over the 'rough' posts
  of the ski rack and other bulky apparatae.

	Hope this is help to all those speed/gas milage-oriented skiiers!!
Bryan Sabol
(A Bio major, NOT a bloody physics major, for all it's worth!)