You know, the name calling really isn't called for. You state that flying a
spinnaker would only work if moored to the aft. I agree. However, do you
believe that it is at all possible for a bow-moored boat to be
be turned around by a spinnaker, or any other combination of sails for
that matter, so that the aft end travels upwind?


"Bart Senior" wrote in message
t...
Why don't you read my response again, you idiot.

Blorgad wrote

Hi Bart senior,

Please read the letter again. The question is not how do we fly a
spinnaker
while moored, but rather is it at all possible for a bow-moored boat to
be
be turned around by a spinnaker, or any other combination of sails for
that
matter, so that the aft end travels upwind?


"Bart Senior" wrote

On a calm day, you could fly it. It would only work
if you attached the mooring pennant to the stern of
the boat. The bow would have to face downwind.

Blorgad wrote
My friend and I are having a disagreement regarding the behaviour of
sailboats on a mooring. We both have limited sailing experience,
although
he
has a fair amount more than I. We were discussing running up a
spinnaker
at
mooring in calm air, just to practice putting it up. We eventually
concluded that this wasn't practical, but the argument came in as to
our
our
different conclusions as to why it would not be. I felt that there
would
be
no point to put it up, as it would just get blown into the rigging
and
not
really tell us anything and possibly get torn. He was of the
opinion
that
somehow the spinnaker could push the boat to one side, fill and
turn
the
boat around. Initially he said it would go right upwind of the
mooring,
then reduced his claim to say that it would turn around at the point
where
it was attached to the line at the bow.

I am of the opinion that this is physically impossible and that
under
no
combination of sail at a mooring could the boat turn around so that
the
aft
was upwind. I am of the opinion that you could get the boat to
swing
to
one
side or the other a bit by backing the jib, but you could still
never
turn
the boat around.

I would gratefully accept as many informed opinions as possible on
this
from
a sailing or physics point of view.

Fair winds,
Miles