Apologies if the answer to this is in this forum, or on the internet in general, but my searching skills are obviously lacking.
So, I keep reading that swimcaps reduce drag.
What are we talking about here - a 1% advantage over not wearing a cap, if all else remain equal? 2%?
If I wear a cap, could my 40.5sec 50m (which I have done 3x) be sub40? :)
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Former Member
For longer distances I would suppose the drag reduction would be even more noticeable. Maybe not in increased speed, but in reduced energy to go a certain distance. Coincidently, last week just for giggles, I put on one of those old lady swim caps with rubber flowers glued to it and swam a few hundred meters. The drag was really noticable. Obviously your natural hair probably wouldn't cause THAT much drag. But it is something. I kind of think of it like moss growing on the hull of a boat. If you keep the hull nice and clean you get better gas mileage.
Found this cute swim cap science fair projected results: www.all-science-fair-projects.com/print_project_1116_140
Dan
That's great, thanks. I see roughly 1.5sec over 100m in that experiment. SUB40 50m HERE I COME!!! :) (I will start wearing a cap tomorrow.)
For longer distances I would suppose the drag reduction would be even more noticeable. Maybe not in increased speed, but in reduced energy to go a certain distance. Coincidently, last week just for giggles, I put on one of those old lady swim caps with rubber flowers glued to it and swam a few hundred meters. The drag was really noticable. Obviously your natural hair probably wouldn't cause THAT much drag. But it is something. I kind of think of it like moss growing on the hull of a boat. If you keep the hull nice and clean you get better gas mileage.
Found this cute swim cap science fair projected results: www.all-science-fair-projects.com/print_project_1116_140
Dan
That's great, thanks. I see roughly 1.5sec over 100m in that experiment. SUB40 50m HERE I COME!!! :) (I will start wearing a cap tomorrow.)
