3 ms·
Want to go full physics nerd? Sailing can be described in terms of reference frames. While to an outside observer a sailboat can travel about 45 upwind, from
by sandworm101 2y ago
Want to go full physics nerd? Sailing can be described in terms of reference frames. While to an outside observer a sailboat can travel about 45 upwind, from the boat's reference frame one must add the forward speed to the wind vector, putting the "apparant wind" much closer to directly ahead. A modern sailcraft like a windsurfer really does feel as if its travelling directly into the wind, or is making its own wind. Going almost as fast as a car, hovering above the waves, directly into the wind, feels like magic because it basically is.
https://youtu.be/1VoGXcj4nvc https://youtu.be/1VoGXcj4nvc
(Note how the real magic starts when they switch to the windsurfer's reference frame.)
- trillic 2y agoA high-performance foiling catamaran can, under the right conditions, make progress against a 10-knot current by using the apparent wind generated by the current itself. As the current moves past the stationary water, it creates a relative wind of 10 knots that the catamaran’s sails can harness. By angling its sails and using its foils to minimize drag, the boat can generate thrust and lift, potentially achieving a speed over water faster than the current. This allows it to tack or gybe efficiently, making indirect progress upstream.