It is possible to design watercraft that will travel exactly where wind come from.

Using wind turbine with horizontal or vertical axis that power propeller in the water that boat should be able to have net resultant force propelling craft straight up the wind.

I wonder if is even theoretically possible to design such a sails configuration that do this same ?

I can imagine the closest to ideal could be configuration of two kites flying 8 figure always on opposite wind direction with resultant vector straigh forward...

Can't do this same with sails I am affraid

sorry this dilema belong more to general discussion then windsurfing in particular - so I move topic there for these interested.

Anyway I hate to ride on windsurfer straight down the wind even that possible _ I think that riding straight up will be evenly awfull

Macroscien said...
Can't do this same with sails I am affraid

Here is a thought experiment: Imagine a vessel powered by a super-light sail that goes upwind by performing numerous tacks. Now reduce the time between tacks until the deviation from the straight course is very low to imperceptible. Voila :) Very similar to the windmilling cat, except that a windmill is much more efficient from a mechanical viewpoint.

dinsdale said...

So, what about a fairly wide catamaran with 2 masts - one on each hull, abreast of each other, and for simplicity sake rig only a mainsail on each one. Point the boat directly into the wind, but sheet the 2 sails into the centre of the trampoline. Now you have 1 sail on a starboard tack and 1 on a port tack and the boat itself head to wind. The 2 sails would work fairly hard against each other, trying to tear the hulls from each other, but each would have some vector in the forwards direction, as any 1 sail on any yacht with the sail sheeted correctly would - that's how a normal yacht makes its way to windward.

It'd be pretty inefficient, but my guess is that it would slowly make way directly into the wind. Would love to see it tried.

You may be on right tack !!!

If we take two small boat join them so they could zig-zag tacking up wind in synchronized order. Then we add cabin in the middle and this is perfectly working trimaran with a bit crazy foot work.

I have got even better idea !!

If we create 3D ball -Hull to sail/airfoil ?
Consisting or two rigs specifically deformed and joined at angle to the water.
When bottom part works as a hull all above works as airfoil . Since rings is formed this way that should drive as wheel on the water constantly and prospectively changing course left tack - straight up wind - right tack - up wind - left tack but because we have two wheels whole structure will be driving on the water straight into wind ..... I hope ....
such a ball should roll on the water (on the ground too) just up the wind ....

Squid Lips said...

dinsdale said...

So, what about a fairly wide catamaran with 2 masts - one on each hull, abreast of each other, and for simplicity sake rig only a mainsail on each one. Point the boat directly into the wind, but sheet the 2 sails into the centre of the trampoline. Now you have 1 sail on a starboard tack and 1 on a port tack and the boat itself head to wind. The 2 sails would work fairly hard against each other, trying to tear the hulls from each other, but each would have some vector in the forwards direction, as any 1 sail on any yacht with the sail sheeted correctly would - that's how a normal yacht makes its way to windward.

It'd be pretty inefficient, but my guess is that it would slowly make way directly into the wind. Would love to see it tried.

I reckon that would just get blown downwind twice as fast as only having 1 sail over sheeted.
The fan style works as each blade is like a little sail heading across the wind.

I think it would travel the same speed as just the one sail, downwind If it got up windspeed that would be that.
trying to teach people to sail a landyacht downwind is one of the most frustrating things. they let the sail out and drift down and wonder why they have no speed. just a slow dribble