Hydrodynamics and propulsive efficiency of stern-sculling propulsion
Abstract
Stern-sculling is a traditional form of human-powered boat propulsion in which a single oar is oscillated laterally at the stern. In this study, we investigate this propulsion technique from a hydrodynamic perspective by continuously measuring the oar kinematics, the boat motion, and the forces acting on the oar across a broad range of boat speeds. During the lateral strokes, lift serves as the main propulsive force, whereas during the backward strokes, propulsion is primarily associated with added-mass effects. These measurements allow us to determine the propulsive efficiency as a function of boat speed. The efficiency peaks at approximately 65\% at an intermediate speed and then decreases progressively to approximately 25\% at higher speeds. These results provide insight into the hydrodynamic mechanisms governing this traditional mode of propulsion and highlight the effectiveness of stern-sculling at moderate speeds.
Related
- Optimizing twisted partially coherent vortex beams for ground-based laser ablation propulsion in space
- RACLET: The Ramp Above Critical Level Endurance Test to evaluate critical velocity in manual wheelchair propulsion
- Dependence of the acoustic propulsion of nano- and microcones on their orientation and aspect ratio
- Coupled self-charging and self-propulsion of evaporating sessile droplets
- Phase diagram morphology shapes droplet propulsion in chemical gradients
BibTeX
@misc{roudaut2026hydrodynamics,
title = {{Hydrodynamics and propulsive efficiency of stern-sculling propulsion}},
author = {Gildas Roudaut and Benoit Augier and Marc Rabaud},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.23444},
eprint = {2610.23444},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.23444},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Hydrodynamics and propulsive efficiency of stern-sculling propulsion
AU - Gildas Roudaut
AU - Benoit Augier
AU - Marc Rabaud
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.23444
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.23444
AB - Stern-sculling is a traditional form of human-powered boat propulsion in which a single oar is oscillated laterally at the stern. In this study, we investigate this propulsion technique from a hydrodynamic perspective by continuously measuring the oar kinematics, the boat motion, and the forces acting on the oar across a broad range of boat speeds. During the lateral strokes, lift serves as the main propulsive force, whereas during the backward strokes, propulsion is primarily associated with added-mass effects. These measurements allow us to determine the propulsive efficiency as a function of boat speed. The efficiency peaks at approximately 65\% at an intermediate speed and then decreases progressively to approximately 25\% at higher speeds. These results provide insight into the hydrodynamic mechanisms governing this traditional mode of propulsion and highlight the effectiveness of stern-sculling at moderate speeds.
ER -