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Sailing anyone?

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Just seen one of the events leading to the America's Cup challenge, with America, the UK, and Italy competing in this particular one. Unfortunately the American boat suffered some severe damage, thus leaving a battle between the UK and Italy. If anyone saw the American accident (in vid below) - just shows how close to the edge these boats are now, with the boat lifted out of the water by a gust of wind and thrown on its side - and nearly sinking. Foiling monohulls seems just a bit precarious to me - after the last series with foiling catamarans - and they were quite exciting. Quite looking forward to foiling trimarans in the next series! :oops:

Anyone watching this, rather fast racing?

American Magic AC75 Capsize! Full story+aftermath of Prada Cup Day 3. America's Cup. - YouTube
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Just seen one of the events leading to the America's Cup challenge, with America, the UK, and Italy competing in this particular one. Unfortunately the American boat suffered some severe damage, thus leaving a battle between the UK and Italy. If anyone saw the American accident (in vid below) - just shows how close to the edge these boats are now, with the boat lifted out of the water by a gust of wind and thrown on its side - and nearly sinking. Foiling monohulls seems just a bit precarious to me - after the last series with foiling catamarans - and they were quite exciting. Quite looking forward to foiling trimarans in the next series! :oops:

Anyone watching this, rather fast racing?

American Magic AC75 Capsize! Full story+aftermath of Prada Cup Day 3. America's Cup. - YouTube
Yes I saw this. I wasn't clear what exactly caused the hole in the hull. Bending stress from the foil getting suddenly decelerated?

But all a bit out of my league. These boats are real war machines. (I used to race Lasers, years ago, in the Persian Gulf. I was sometimes invited to crew on a larger boat when the wind was light, because it made me good at trimming the sails accurately to catch what wind there was. But that's about it. When I got back to London I resumed my rowing and left the sailing behind me.)
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I didn't watch the race, not my thing but it does look exciting for those with an interest.

What really struck me most about the video was the sponsorship, why is Airbus sponsoring team America as opposed to say Boing???
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
Yes I saw this. I wasn't clear what exactly caused the hole in the hull. Bending stress from the foil getting suddenly decelerated?

But all a bit out of my league. These boats are real war machines. (I used to race Lasers, years ago, in the Persian Gulf. I was sometimes invited to crew on a larger boat when the wind was light, because it made me good at trimming the sails accurately to catch what wind there was. But that's about it. When I got back to London I resumed my rowing and left the sailing behind me.)
I suppose the obvious reason for the hole might have been from the forces on the foil as it hit the water, and that transmitted through the attachment to the hull but apparently the hole was between the foil and the bow. I haven't followed this series - not having any Sport TV, just Freeview - so this was the first I've seen of it (On BBC2 this afternoon). I suppose one can only design for so much.

I raced a Merlin Rocket dinghy, but as it was quite old it wasn't particularly competitive. Quite enjoyable though. I also crewed on various sailing yachts in club races, so not that competitive. :D
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I didn't watch the race, not my thing but it does look exciting for those with an interest.

What really struck me most about the video was the sponsorship, why is Airbus sponsoring team America as opposed to say Boing???
Who knows. :D
 

Martin

Spam, wonderful spam (bloody vikings!)
I used to crew on a Fireball, then later I sailed a Laser. I never really felt in control in the Laser, she was a beast.
Great fun though.
I've retired to kayaking. I like the waves, but the wind is a pest. :p
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
I used to crew on a Fireball, then later I sailed a Laser. I never really felt in control in the Laser, she was a beast.
Great fun though.
I've retired to kayaking. I like the waves, but the wind is a pest. :p
I was fine in the Laser up to 10knot winds. Above that I was too light to keep the hull flat when going upwind. Dubai had the classic hot country onshore breeze in the daytime, as the land heated and caused the air above to rise, drawing in cooler air from the sea. 11a.m. - noon would be close to flat calm and then the onshore wind would gradually get stronger as the afternoon wore on. I used to try to do well in the first race, because by the third I would be beaten by the heavier sailors. The only time I was first across the line was a day of almost no wind at all: everyone but me was wallowing in the waves and not moving!
 

Martin

Spam, wonderful spam (bloody vikings!)
I was fine in the Laser up to 10knot winds. Above that I was too light to keep the hull flat when going upwind. Dubai had the classic hot country onshore breeze in the daytime, as the land heated and caused the air above to rise, drawing in cooler air from the sea. 11a.m. - noon would be close to flat calm and then the onshore wind would gradually get stronger as the afternoon wore on. I used to try to do well in the first race, because by the third I would be beaten by the heavier sailors. The only time I was first across the line was a day of almost no wind at all: everyone but me was wallowing in the waves and not moving!

At least you were warm! Did you look at Laser Radials with a smaller sail?
I wasn't into racing much. My favourite thing in a Laser was broad reaching in a strong wind, just hanging on and letting her go. It reminded me of hang-gliding a bit.
We had trapezes on the Fireball, but you needed a strong wind for those. She flied with a spinnaker out the front. Very stable boat though.
 
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exchemist

Veteran Member
At least you were warm! Did you look at Laser Radials with a smaller sail?
I wasn't into racing much. My favourite thing in a Laser was broad reaching in a strong wind, just hanging on and letting her go.
We had trapezes on the Fireball, but you needed a strong wind for those. She flied with a spinnaker out the front.
I did think about the radial. The trouble, I think, though it's long ago now, was the rules of sailing didn't allow you to change sails during a race series, and my weight was intermediate between the optimum for the two types.
 

Martin

Spam, wonderful spam (bloody vikings!)
I did think about the radial. The trouble, I think, though it's long ago now, was the rules of sailing didn't allow you to change sails during a race series, and my weight was intermediate between the optimum for the two types.

Yes, I think you'd have needed to stick with a radial rig.
Have you done any sailing recently?
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Just seen one of the events leading to the America's Cup challenge, with America, the UK, and Italy competing in this particular one. Unfortunately the American boat suffered some severe damage, thus leaving a battle between the UK and Italy. If anyone saw the American accident (in vid below) - just shows how close to the edge these boats are now, with the boat lifted out of the water by a gust of wind and thrown on its side - and nearly sinking. Foiling monohulls seems just a bit precarious to me - after the last series with foiling catamarans - and they were quite exciting. Quite looking forward to foiling trimarans in the next series! :oops:

Anyone watching this, rather fast racing?

American Magic AC75 Capsize! Full story+aftermath of Prada Cup Day 3. America's Cup. - YouTube
That was brutal!
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Yes, I think you'd have needed to stick with a radial rig.
Have you done any sailing recently?
Only a bit a couple of years ago in Brittany (Golfe du Morbihan) on my son's Open Bic, which is really too small for an adult. I went out in a strong wind and it submarined several times on the downwind return........:D
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Lasers having fun:

Cool, that is a fast craft. It looks by "tacking" with the wind that that craft could have an average speed straight downwind faster than the wind.

High-performance sailing - Wikipedia

Skiffs[edit]
Starting ca. 1975, 18ft Skiffs were sailing downwind faster than the speed of the wind. This meant that they had to tack, rather than jibe to change tacks.[3] Other skiffs that can sail faster than the wind include the 29er, and 49er, both designed by Julian Bethwaite.[4]

Now, here is a bit of a brain twister. Can a vehicle, powered only by the wind, with no storage of energy in flywheels, batteries, or other energy storage devices sail directly downwind faster than the wind.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Cool, that is a fast craft. It looks by "tacking" with the wind that that craft could have an average speed straight downwind faster than the wind.

High-performance sailing - Wikipedia

Skiffs[edit]
Starting ca. 1975, 18ft Skiffs were sailing downwind faster than the speed of the wind. This meant that they had to tack, rather than jibe to change tacks.[3] Other skiffs that can sail faster than the wind include the 29er, and 49er, both designed by Julian Bethwaite.[4]

Now, here is a bit of a brain twister. Can a vehicle, powered only by the wind, with no storage of energy in flywheels, batteries, or other energy storage devices sail directly downwind faster than the wind.
Yes.

The force on the sail comes from Bernouilli's Principle (like lift on an aircraft's wing). There is no reason why the speed of the boat (or vehicle) should relate in any particular way to the wind speed: it's just about force exerted on the sail area vs. drag from the hull, daggerboard and rudder (or wheels).
 

Martin

Spam, wonderful spam (bloody vikings!)
Only a bit a couple of years ago in Brittany (Golfe du Morbihan) on my son's Open Bic, which is really too small for an adult. I went out in a strong wind and it submarined several times on the downwind return........:D

Maybe there'll be other opportunities. I have a small kayak which I take out on the sea, but not too far. You can put sails on sea-kayaks, which looks like fun!
 

Subduction Zone

Veteran Member
Yes.

The force on the sail comes from Bernouilli's Principle (like lift on an aircraft's wing). There is no reason why the speed of the boat (or vehicle) should relate in any particular way to the wind speed: it's just about force exerted on the sail area vs. drag from the hull, daggerboard and rudder (or wheels).


I am not talking about a boat accomplishing this by tacking with the wind. That is following a zigzag course down wind. That can be done and examples were given in the example that I gave. I was asking if a vessel could go say directly South for example in a wind blowing from due North to due South faster than that wind. The vessel would in effect be sailing directly into its own headwind.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Maybe there'll be other opportunities. I have a small kayak which I take out on the sea, but not too far. You can put sails on sea-kayaks, which looks like fun!
No, at 66 I'm too old for dinghy sailing now. You need to be young and able to throw yourself about on the boat. These days when we go to the island I do the garden and cook the meals (buying stuff with my dodgy French is always fun). My son puts on his wetsuit and goes sailing or windsurfing and I watch through binoculars, unless it is time for my daily swim.....

Just hope we can get over this year, what with Covid and Brexit. All seems very unclear at present.
 

Martin

Spam, wonderful spam (bloody vikings!)
No, at 66 I'm too old for dinghy sailing now. You need to be young and able to throw yourself about on the boat. These days when we go to the island I do the garden and cook the meals (buying stuff with my dodgy French is always fun). My son puts on his wetsuit and goes sailing or windsurfing and I watch through binoculars, unless it is time for my daily swim.....

Just hope we can get over this year, what with Covid and Brexit. All seems very unclear at present.

I'm impressed by the idea of a daily swim! I'm 64, still OK with the kayak, though my back doesn't always agree! Walking by the sea feels a lot easier these days, I like to spot seals and porpoises.
 
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