On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 14:17:54 +0100, Andy Champ
wrote:

Steve Firth wrote:
Wilbur Hubbard wrote:

It's good to see a
Brit is the first to insert his foot into his mouth.

Ah no, that would have been you, as usual, Craptain. I bet you think
that ice yachts can't reach 146mph either.

Wilbur seems to have it right this time. Either the article is
misquoted, very badly written, or just plain wrong.

An apparent wind from dead ahead can add nothing but a force directly
astern.

The case where a true wind from ahead can be used to drive a windmill
that can drive a propeller to propel the vessel is different; but this
requires a true wind.

BTW ice yachts cannot make 146mph *directly* upwind.

Andy

This is got to be one of the stupidest threads I have ever read.
Anyone who has ever been in a boat motoring directly into the wind
knows that the sail produces no forward force. I can only assume that
the individuals who argue otherwise have never been a boat under those
conditions.

In this one (and perhaps only) instance I must admit that I agree with
Willie.

BTW ice boats (yachts?) don't do 146 MPH directly down wind either.




Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeATgmailDOTcom)