On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 00:00:19 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

AH HA!!!

See - "gliding"....

=========================

Yes, that light feeling of skipping across the wave tops. I know it
well, and like it as much as anyone else, BUT many heavy boats are
truly "on plane" well before that point is reached. And many heavy
boats never reach that point even though they start planing somewhere
between 13 and 20 knots.

Which brings us back to the original question in a circular sort of
way: When is a boat "on plane" ? I'd be inclined to vote for 2.5X
the theoretical hull speed. Easy enough to calculate, and sort of
intuitive. It may not be dead right for every boat but it should be
in the ball park.