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Forums > General Discussion   Shooting the breeze...

Sailing straight up wind ?

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Created by Macroscien > 9 months ago, 3 Feb 2012
Macroscien
QLD, 6809 posts
3 Feb 2012 3:24PM
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It is possible to design watercraft that will travel exactly where wind come from.

Using wind turbine with horizontal or vertical axis that power propeller in the water that boat should be able to have net resultant force propelling craft straight up the wind.

I wonder if is even theoretically possible to design such a sails configuration that do this same ?

I can imagine the closest to ideal could be configuration of two kites flying 8 figure always on opposite wind direction with resultant vector straigh forward...

Can't do this same with sails I am affraid



But if future Americas Cup allow all tricks the question is if such a boat will be eventually quicker on the race ? ( travelling straight up the wind ? )

If kites are still not allowed on Americas Cup ( why not ? ) the small guile with sort of pair flying spinakers shoud do the trick ...

kiteboy dave
QLD, 6525 posts
3 Feb 2012 6:21PM
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Good question! Kinda linked to the 'downwind faster than the wind' experiment they did a year or two ago. The answer was yes, you can clearly go straight downwind, powered only by the wind, much faster than the wind.

stamp
QLD, 2800 posts
4 Feb 2012 9:00AM
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the c class cats they use (or used to) for the little americas cup series have a solid wing sail. they go almost directly upwind at speed. it's not dead upwind but damn close.

Gizmo
SA, 2865 posts
4 Feb 2012 9:52AM
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stamp said...

the c class cats they use (or used to) for the little americas cup series have a solid wing sail. they go almost directly upwind at speed. it's not dead upwind but damn close.


Not quite.... the yachts sail about the same angles to "true wind" but due to the speed of the yacht the "apparent wind" is what the yacht actually ends up sailing with.
Its the same thing with land sailing.

evlPanda
NSW, 9207 posts
4 Feb 2012 9:46PM
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kiteboy dave said...

Good question! Kinda linked to the 'downwind faster than the wind' experiment they did a year or two ago. The answer was yes, you can clearly go straight downwind, powered only by the wind, much faster than the wind.


His next challenge actually is sailing dead upwind, faster than the wind.

Macroscien
QLD, 6809 posts
4 Feb 2012 9:00PM
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evlPanda said...

kiteboy dave said...

Good question! Kinda linked to the 'downwind faster than the wind' experiment they did a year or two ago. The answer was yes, you can clearly go straight downwind, powered only by the wind, much faster than the wind.


His next challenge actually is sailing dead upwind, faster than the wind.


Eeee, the real challenge will be sail up wind when is no wind at all
and very pragmatic too
(you just pump ones or two start moving then you have relative wind and use it and speed up !!! - no that is serious topic but free energu for somebody else, may exploit it ie peter33? )

Mark _australia
WA, 23717 posts
4 Feb 2012 7:25PM
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Dunno what all the fuss is about.
I can sail dead upwind on wave gear. Only for about 2 metres though........

Macroscien
QLD, 6809 posts
4 Feb 2012 9:34PM
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Mark _australia said...

Dunno what all the fuss is about.
I can sail dead upwind on wave gear. Only for about 2 metres though........


Have been thinking just about sailing down the rapid river
not sure how sail may help then - maybe get the balance ??



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Forums > General Discussion   Shooting the breeze...


"Sailing straight up wind ?" started by Macroscien