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From: dennis@terak.UUCP (Dennis Kodimer)
Newsgroups: net.rec.ski,net.physics
Subject: Re: ski tips, up or down?
Message-ID: <415@terak.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 4-Mar-85 10:54:56 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.415
Posted: Mon Mar  4 10:54:56 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Mar-85 06:30:07 EST
References: <518@intelca.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Terak Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
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Xref: watmath net.rec.ski:415 net.physics:2222

> On my many ski trips, there is no uniform way to place skis on a 
> rack.  It seems to me that there must be some optimum way to
> orient a pair of skis to reduce air resistance and enhance
> car handling.  After all, there are only four possibilities:
> 
> 1) skis up tips forward
> 2) skis up tips back
> 3) skis down tips back
> 4) skis down tips forward
> 

Logic has always dictated that I carry skis with tips back and down.
If they are forward, up or down, the `clean' (i.e. highest velocity,
non-turbulent) air at the car front will tend to lift the skis and
cause vibration.  Also, the tips will tend to collect snow and later
drip same into windshield.  Also, gravel and other flying debris will
have a good chance to damage your boards.  Mounted rearward, the tips
should not be up because then they also collect falling snow, making 
a mess when you take them inside.  Further, toward the rear of the car
the air streamlines are beginning to descend; having the tips curve
down cooperates with the air (although this is minor considering how
ski racks generate a lot of `dirty' air.  This lead to tips back and
down as my choice.  Using the same arguments, I always carry poles so
the buckets curve rearward - i.e. with grips to front and tips to rear.

Actually, the best carriers, I think, carry the skis so the flat
surfaces are vertical.  This way, the waxed surfaces and edges have a
minimum of loading and abrasion, hold a minimum of snow, and pack
densely atop your chariot.

-- 
Quite sincerely,		...still waiting for the electrician,
	Dennis Kodimer			or someone like him. 
	
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