Originally posted by e-7:
I agree that narrow tires are less likely to hydroplane. Large ship?s hulls are made of 1" thick steel sometimes. You would not think that 1" thick still would float on water. Air has so much buoyancy that I have heard this is why large ships float. I believe compressed air has even more buoyancy but I am not sure.
I purchased narrow Michelin Symmetry All Season 185/70R14 tires just because they are less likely to hydroplane. I hate driving in the rain but the narrow tires seem safer.
It doesn't matter what the item is made of, just does it weigh less than the water it displaces. You can thank Archimedes and his bathtub for that little rule.
PSI is equivalent, that is the force of the air inside the tire. Since at rest anyway, we know forces must balance.
So I do believe my calculations about the size of the contact patch are valid.
Just look at your tires and tell me a fully inflated tire has more than about 20 square inches of rubber on the road, or about as much area as a mans shoe.
TB
