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You guys
turned his idea into a perpetual motion debate. Think more passive / hybrid. A battery bank replaceing the keel, most boats sit all week (could be charging). Even if it only worked 1 hr per day of charging that would serve most needs on a traditional sailboat. Problem is all us tinkerers would have to hire full bore electricians to check the motor, regulators, and the stuff that would end up electracuting me.
turned his idea into a perpetual motion debate. Think more passive / hybrid. A battery bank replaceing the keel, most boats sit all week (could be charging). Even if it only worked 1 hr per day of charging that would serve most needs on a traditional sailboat. Problem is all us tinkerers would have to hire full bore electricians to check the motor, regulators, and the stuff that would end up electracuting me.
First of all it is the physics of it that allow
any of it to work. The shape of the sails is a mater of great debate. The material used to make the sails is always good for a three beer debate. Unless I am mistaken the physics of flotation is ignored at your peril. I would love to see an idea like this work but a number of requirements stand in the way. First and foremost. How do you reef in heavy weather? Second and certain to be a problem. How much slip space does it require? Third and by no means last. How do you provide for the safety of the crew in the presence of this large rotating machine?
any of it to work. The shape of the sails is a mater of great debate. The material used to make the sails is always good for a three beer debate. Unless I am mistaken the physics of flotation is ignored at your peril. I would love to see an idea like this work but a number of requirements stand in the way. First and foremost. How do you reef in heavy weather? Second and certain to be a problem. How much slip space does it require? Third and by no means last. How do you provide for the safety of the crew in the presence of this large rotating machine?
At the other end of the boating world
I once saw a picture of a sailing work barge in Bangladesh that had a sail that looked like someone had sewn the contents of a laundry basket together. The seams weren't even trimmed. Just piece the scraps together to make a large flat piece of cloth that may be used for a sail.
I once saw a picture of a sailing work barge in Bangladesh that had a sail that looked like someone had sewn the contents of a laundry basket together. The seams weren't even trimmed. Just piece the scraps together to make a large flat piece of cloth that may be used for a sail.
WOW
I wrote this because I had some guests on board that sort of freaked when the rails went under the water. Meanwhile, evveryone else was laughing and having a good time. I told the wheelman to let up on the main a little till we were at about 20 degrees heal, which satisfied the guests (from their appearance.) Later, I heard they would never set foot on a sailboat again, so this idea took place. I recall, but never googled, Jacque Cousteau's boat had two masts that were quite round. Inside, there were screw like mechanisms that turned to prop(s). If I remember, this was experimental, and I haven't seen a thing since. My guess is that it presented quite a large surface for the wind to do it's thing, and there was no reefing or making its profile smaller, which could be quite dangerous in high winds. Anyway, the responses have been great!
I wrote this because I had some guests on board that sort of freaked when the rails went under the water. Meanwhile, evveryone else was laughing and having a good time. I told the wheelman to let up on the main a little till we were at about 20 degrees heal, which satisfied the guests (from their appearance.) Later, I heard they would never set foot on a sailboat again, so this idea took place. I recall, but never googled, Jacque Cousteau's boat had two masts that were quite round. Inside, there were screw like mechanisms that turned to prop(s). If I remember, this was experimental, and I haven't seen a thing since. My guess is that it presented quite a large surface for the wind to do it's thing, and there was no reefing or making its profile smaller, which could be quite dangerous in high winds. Anyway, the responses have been great!
sailing directly into the wind
It seems like even people a lot smarter than I are argueing about sailing directly into the wind. What I'd like to see is GPS and wind data to prove that they can sail directly into the wind. It goes against all of the physics that I have been taught and is or close to a perpetual motion device. Now I have no problem with a wind turbine that sails closer to true wind than your average sailboat. But the best I can get is about 45 degrees from true wind and I go a lot faster at 60 degrees.
It seems like even people a lot smarter than I are argueing about sailing directly into the wind. What I'd like to see is GPS and wind data to prove that they can sail directly into the wind. It goes against all of the physics that I have been taught and is or close to a perpetual motion device. Now I have no problem with a wind turbine that sails closer to true wind than your average sailboat. But the best I can get is about 45 degrees from true wind and I go a lot faster at 60 degrees.
Wind Gens
Gyroscopic forces would be significant and dangerous. Wind jennies place extreme forces on small bearings and are prone to failure. Any large generator or rotor would be very heavy too. Aside from having to crane the rotor up there on the mast, you would have have a heel angle and rocking motion that would be unacceptable and/or dangerous. I have some experience with wind gen design and manufacture of home built and machined units, its mostly theoretical and anecdotal though as my focus is solar electric. The swept area of a rotor (the diameter of the prop) is the equivalent of harnessing the same area / amount of air as a sail of same square footage on a run. However on a run, the rotor would lose efficency rapidly. I seems to me the same effect/phenomenon of the wind apparently falling off when the wind speed and boat speed are about the same would affect the rotor and its ability to produce power. Mostly though its been done and failed, the primary reason that sloop rigged boats with modern sails have been so successful is that they are one of the best current technologies. I could be wrong, but...
Gyroscopic forces would be significant and dangerous. Wind jennies place extreme forces on small bearings and are prone to failure. Any large generator or rotor would be very heavy too. Aside from having to crane the rotor up there on the mast, you would have have a heel angle and rocking motion that would be unacceptable and/or dangerous. I have some experience with wind gen design and manufacture of home built and machined units, its mostly theoretical and anecdotal though as my focus is solar electric. The swept area of a rotor (the diameter of the prop) is the equivalent of harnessing the same area / amount of air as a sail of same square footage on a run. However on a run, the rotor would lose efficency rapidly. I seems to me the same effect/phenomenon of the wind apparently falling off when the wind speed and boat speed are about the same would affect the rotor and its ability to produce power. Mostly though its been done and failed, the primary reason that sloop rigged boats with modern sails have been so successful is that they are one of the best current technologies. I could be wrong, but...
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