4 ms·
At about 1k nautical miles between NYC and Miami he'd need to do ~50 nm a day to make it a 3-week trip. That's two marathons per day, a fair stretch even if he
by WJW 5y ago
At about 1k nautical miles between NYC and Miami he'd need to do ~50 nm a day to make it a 3-week trip. That's two marathons per day, a fair stretch even if he managed to make the same propulsive efficiency with his paddle wheel thingy as he would on land.
- ls612 5y agoIf he had gotten a bit farther out the Gulf Stream would have picked him up and given him a big speed boost so a little over 3 weeks doesn’t sound unreasonable
- WJW 5y agoThe gulf stream maxes out at about 5 knots, but that does not mean it has that speed everywhere. For a surface vessel without much draft, wind probably has a more significant impact than currents and he'd be very dependent on the changes in the weather. A stiff breeze from the north could easily end up with him further south than he started. And of course, the further out you go to try and pick up the gulf stream, the further you have to go to get back to shore.
- panarky 5y agoThe article mentions he'd hoped to get a boost from the gulf stream. The gulf stream moves at about 5 miles per hour.