Sailboat Wind Propulsion
Comments focus on the physics and feasibility of wind-powered boat propulsion using sails, kites, rotors, and hydrofoils, debating requirements like keels or foils, sailing faster than wind, and comparisons to traditional or powered boats.
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Sailing does this (one design), so it's possible
For those who aren’t avid boaters: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Regulations_fo...Looking at that tiny wing sail, it’s gonna be sloowwww. Maybe that’ll help?
If there was ever a case for sails/kites, this is it
For a sailboat to work at all, you need a part of it that “stick” in the water.Wind-powered “planes” can't work for that reason (and no, gliders aren't powered by the wind, and you can't have a ground-effect glider either)So the best you can do is have just a foil that sticks in the water while having everything else out, which is basically what every modern race boat is doing.
Why not an autonomous sailboat?
At least in sailing, you can go a lot faster than the wind; I assume the same is true for these blades.
Exactly, it is much like using a fan on a boat to blow a sail.
Fantastic. But what about sailing boats and -ships? Should they have a rotor too?
That's like trying to propel your sailboat by holding up an electric fan.
I would have guessed that a person in a sailboat was more energy efficient.