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Hydrodynamic Swimwear

The ultimate in stream-lined swimwear
 
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Okay, so everytime you see a swimming competition, they always seem to have some new fancy swimwear designed to be more streamline in the water.

Why not end the distracting fashion show by taking the same shrink wrap technology that's used to cover electrical wires, cd cases, etc. and create swimwear for competitive swimmers.

The thin plastic film can be manufactured in the shape of a pair of shorts. The athlete simply steps into them and applies a source of heat to mold the suit to their body.

Benefits:

Less Weight - the plastic suit is light and wouldn't absorb any water.

Hydrodynamic - no seams or stiching to shave precious nano-seconds off your time.

Ideers, Aug 19 2004

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       A quick study of hydro-dynamics would reveal that this might actually be MORE drag because of the smoothness. Small ripples or bumps would be necessary to avoid rather serious drag. Fabric does this naturally. Sorry fishbone...   

       (Interesting image in my head though... maybe I'll just go neutral.)
zigness, Aug 19 2004
  

       You'd be better off designing a suit that specifically builds up areas of the swimmers profile to make for a smoother surface. As [zigness] said it's about Reynold's numbers and change from laminar to turbulent boundary layers, profile and parasitic drag etc.
scubadooper, Aug 19 2004
  

       Malefits:   

       Irremovable - It would be permanent. There are certain things you need access to.   

       Tight - Wouldn't this cut off your blood supply to your legs?   

       Is malefit a real word or did I just make it up?
harderthanjesus, Aug 23 2004
  

       Zig is right. You want to create turbulence to reduce laminar drag. Microscopic ribs are very good, and could be pressed into your shrink wrap.
//steps into them and applies a source of heat//
Excellent!
ldischler, Aug 23 2004
  

       Would you propose to keep the face out of this hydrodynamic suit. Presumbably it would be one of the biggest causes of drag, and would also require the ability to breath, and possibly less important, to be able to see. (Can't quite get the comical image of Eddie Izzard in the Men's 4x100 Relay out of my head).
PainOCommonSense, Aug 23 2004
  

       The shark skin version would be interesting
Ling, Aug 23 2004
  

       And I almost convinced myself that it said Hydraulic Swimwear. Shame.
RobertKidney, Aug 23 2004
  

       A key component of those fancy suits are the ability to stretch. I'm not sure heat-shrink wrap does, so - for killing an athlete
swimr, Aug 24 2004
  
      
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