Sailing boats. can you go in any direction? my thinking is you can only go in the direction?

Question

that the wind is blowing in?????excuse my inexperience but please explain??!!

Answer 1

John L got it wright but for the fact that an experimental boat with egg whisk  type sails that transfer wind power to a prop shaft can sail directly into the wind.

Answer 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tack_(saili...

Answer 3

almost,depends on rig as well

Answer 4

if u r skilled and talented yes

Answer 5

All good answers, but never explain clearly.

A sail in the wind is in the same shape as an airplane wing.  The lower pressure on the curved surface will lift an airplane or suck a sail along.  This holds true as long as there is wind create the low pressure.

Answer 6

Think about it for a second........the sails aren't static, they can rotate around so they're just moved into whatever position catches the wind best.

Answer 7

You can go in various directions by altering your sails, unfortunately for me I don't know any more about it, but I would LOVE to learn to sail properly!

Answer 8

Usually you can only go left right back and forth. Some boats will submerge (submarine) but not many will fly.

Generally they conquer 2D not 3D

Answer 9

Depends on the boat as to how far you can sail into the wind. Most sailboats will sail about 45 degrees off the wind by using sails and aerodynamics.

The no-sail zone is about 90 degrees wide — about 45 degrees on either side of the wind direction, or from 10:30 to 1:30, if you like the clock. In this zone, a sailboat can't generate power from its sails and will coast to a stop. The problem is that your sails luff (flap) even when you pull them in all the way.

As you enter the no-sail zone from the sail zone, the front edge (luff) of your sails start luffing a little bit (it looks like the front of the sail is bubbling), and you start to slow down. If you turn to the very middle of the no-sail zone, your sails flap like flags, and your boat quickly coasts to a stop. In fact, if you stay in the no-sail zone too long, the wind blows your boat backward, which is called being in irons. Getting in irons happens to every first-time sailor.

But the beauty of sailing is that you have a way around this apparently forbidden territory. To get to a destination directly upwind in the no-sail zone (say 12:00), you can take a zigzag route, sort of like hiking up a very steep mountain. This technique involves sailing close-hauled and periodically tacking (a maneuver where you turn the boat from 1:30 to 10:30 or vice versa). With this knowledge, you can literally sail wherever you want!



You must be very clear on one point: No boat can sail a course directly into (toward) the wind. If you try to do so, the sails start luffing, no matter how tight you try to trim them — like they do when the bow is pointed into the wind at the dock. The boat glides to a stop and eventually blows backward, like any object floating on the water.

Answer 10

John L got it right and Formersalt got it all wrong.

If you use Formersalt reason, then an airplane should not be able to fly inverted.

http://www.physclips.unsw.edu.au/jw/sail...

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/AERO/airflylv...

If my sails act as a wing, please explain how I can "Heave to"?

http://www.sailonline.com/seamanship/Hea...