A few years back I spent a week down in San Fransico on the coast. I didn’t know it at the time but it was the world speed sailing competition under the golden gate bridge. I was a few chicken tenders deep before I realized that what I was watching on the restaurant television screen was actually live right outside.
I spent the rest of the afternoon watching this tall sailing speed racers fly across the water. It was crazy watching these motorless ships go in all directions. They could go with the wind and against it too. They would turn the sails and the ship would turn with it. In some instances the ships sail was at such a steep angle it would almost be touching the water itself.
I wish I knew what the proper physics were behind the wind, but I don’t. I do know, however, is that I have eye witness the abilities tall sails have with the wind in all directions. The taller the sail is, the more high wind it can catch. It is crazy to think that ships sailed across the world before engines were even invented! All they needed was a boat, a large blanket, and some rope.
