I would say that a keel which makes ZERO leeway is highly efficient...
super-efficient.... preternaturally efficient!


"Charles Momsen" wrote:
~A leeway angle of zero degrees means the flow comes head on at the keel.
Since keels are symettric, the net lift is zero and the drag is a quantity
greater than zero. L/D = 0 in that case.


Oh, you're assuming that the keel is symmetric? You didn't say that at
first. You just said zero leeway angle.

Maybe the keel you're looking at has micropores connected to a pump
that induces a pressure differential accross the foil at zero AoA,
producing lift with no leeway.

Maybe the keel you're looking at is a ballast strut and the leeway is
being eliminated by an asymmetric foil daggerboard or a toed-in
leeboard or a controllable twin foil, all of which are well proven
configurations and can produce zero leeway.

Maybe the boat is being towed to windward by a giant.

Did your physics prof introduce new conditions after the problem had
been stated and answers given? Mine didn't. But he did encourage a
wide range of correct solutions rather than dogmatically insist on a
single prosiac answer.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King