Is it possible that a Sail Ship is running faster than the Wind driving it and if so, why?
Thanks
It can happen, but not if you’re going directly with the wind. The fastest speeds are when you’re going at close to a right angle from the wind direction. Think of how, when you squeeze a watermelon seed, it shoots out faster than your fingers moved together: It’s a similar phenomenon.
From: High Performance Sailing, “any boat which runs ‘square’ must necessarily sail downwind at some speed less that the wind’s speed whereas any boat which tacks downwind has no theoretical limit to its speed. Ice yachts, for example, can tack downwind at average speeds many times the wind speed.”
18ft Skiffs which are essentially a sail, rudder, centreboard and human ballast can sail as close as 20 degrees.
Check out L’Hydroptere:
Googling the name yields many impressive videos.
There was a Straight Dope column on the topic in November.
Thank’s for the Information.