Sailboats vary enormously in terms of their favored point of sailing. I would guess that most sailboats do best with the wind on their beam (90 deg.) My boat is best on that point, and I can also sail into the wind to about 28 degrees without pinching, which is exceptionally. Downwind is slow for me, so I often tack downwind, keeping main and gennie filled.
I wonder what race committees will say when a sailor shows up with this rig. Thinking of John's explanation, though, I suppose it will not work as there won't be any torque transmission from the wheels to the prop. Right, John? Cheers, Lawry On Sep 22, 2010, at 1:02 PM, OrionWorks - Steven V Johnson wrote: > From John Fields, > > ... > >> Note that with the wind pushing the cart and the pitch of >> the propeller as shown, the wind would, intuitively, be >> forcing the propeller to rotate counter-clockwise as >> viewed from the rear of the cart. >> >> However, such is not the case. >> >> What's really happening is that the wind is pushing on >> the prop, forcing the cart to move forward, and the torque >> generated by the wheels is coupled to the prop in such a >> way as to cause the prop to rotate clockwise when viewed >> from the rear. >> >> This direction of rotation makes the prop a "pusher", >> and will increase the apparent force of the wind. >> >> As long as the wind is blowing from the rear, the cart >> will accelerate until it reaches wind speed, when the >> wind speed will effectively be zero. >> >> However, because of the prop's action as a pusher, the >> cart will be going a little faster than wind speed, at >> wind speed. Then, as soon as the prop feels the >> headwind it'll stop being a propeller and will become >> a turbine, driving the wheels and accelerating into the >> headwind until, eventually, everything settles out and >> the cart reaches its speed limit. > > Well, I'll be keelhauled! Thanks for the clarification John. > > My previous suggestion of using a "control" vehicle fitted with a > Viking-like sale is woefully inappropriate. It would be more accurate > to describe this vehicle's prop as TACKING through the wind. As most > sailors know, a sailboat tends to sail the fastest when sailing at an > angle of around 45 degrees INTO THE WIND. (I think maximum dynamics is > approx 45 degrees into the wind. Feel free to correct me on that > point, maitees.) The point being: Sailing closer into the wind seems > counter intuitive but it's the truth - insofar as sailboats are > concerned. > > I can see it now. Sailors take note! This opens up a whole new > dimension to regatta races. You heard it here first! > > Where's my parrot. > > Regards > Steven Vincent Johnson > www.OrionWorks.com > www.zazzle.com/orionworks >
