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Vic Smith Vic Smith is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,310
Default Sailing forever windward

On Sun, 19 Apr 2009 15:58:09 -0400, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

"Capt.Bill" wrote in message
...
http://www.windvinder.com/index.php?id=14&L=1



Nobody's seen it because it doesn't exist. It is a pipe dream. Notice on the
site there are no photographs of it in action. Just drawings. It can't work.
You cannot harness enough wind power with a windmill on a boat to make the
entire untethered vessel proceed directly upwind. It isn't going to happen
because it defies the laws of physics.

They screwed up with that windmill stuff, and directly into the wind.
Should have said it was always tacking upwind, with a simple auto
tiller mechanism switching between port and starboard tack
every so often as it wound itself up.
Maybe add something about a wind harp aboard, always being strummed
and emitting melodious or martial tones as the winds changed.
"Have you seen it?" "Have you heard it?"
Add a sound file to the web site so folks can hear what it sounds
like. Charge for a full length version, gull squawks included.
Dummy up a reasonable drawing or photoshop a pic.
No sense lying small-time, right?

--Vic