Question:

If you put a flag on the front of a sailboat, sailing with the wind, which way does the flag blow?

by Guest59831  |  earlier

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the sail will be blown forward, due to the wind behind you, but will the flag be blown backward by the forward motion of the boat?

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  1. depends on the speed of the boat, if the wind speed is greater then the flag will be blown forward, and vice versa.


  2. forward

    no sailboat can possibly go as fast the as the wind pushing it along

  3. The flag will blow in the direction of what is referred to as the "apparent wind".

    When you move an object (the boat) through "true wind", your perspective of the wind's direction changes.   For example, when you are on a beam reach the wind appears to be blowing directly from the side of the boat.  In fact, it's true angle is a little abaft of beam or somewhat toward the stern quarter.

    The answer to your question is, usually yes, the flag will be blowing forward at a bit of an angle to the boat.  I have seen some occasions where a flag didn't fly at all but hung limp on the staff.

  4. It will ALWAYS go with the wind, assuming that the object it is attached to (the boat) is also just being propelled by the wind.  The only reason why you want to envision it going backwards is because you are comparing it to a flag which is attached to a vehicle that is moving FASTER than the wind.

  5. This is a tricky question.  Most often it would blow forward, because the sailboat is a displacement hull and it's speed is determined by length.  Wind speeds that are faster than hull speed would win out.

  6. Forward, the wind will still be blowing faster than you are moving.

  7. The flag will likely point away from the aparent wind.  Which will typically be anywhere from 100 degrees to 175 degrees off the bow.

    Or if it is placed too close to a sail, it will act like a tell tail and follow the shape if the sail.

  8. The flag will fly in the direction the wind is going>Your talking running down wind so the flag will be flying backwards away from the boat And will change direction with the movement of the boat>> Also you fly the flag on the shroud up near the spreader>Or on the aft stay>

  9. no,forward
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