Kimball Physics of Sailing

Erscheinungsjahr 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4200-7377-5
Verlag: Taylor & Francis
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 296 Seiten

Breaking down the complicated concepts of speed, acceleration, torque, fluid mechanics, and surface physics, Physics of Sailing provides a lively, easily accessible introduction to the basic science underlying the sport of sailing. It illustrates the many ways physics can be used to understand the principles of sailboat propulsion and how a scientific understanding of the boat, wind, and water can lead to more skillful sailing.

After a brief but insightful tour of the history of sailing, the book explores the physics involved in making faster sailing crafts for both upwind and downwind sailing, including Newton’s impact theory of fluid resistance and lift and drag phenomena. It compares possible sail shapes, presents measurements of hull smoothness, and describes wind turbulence, the nature of water waves, and the structure of wakes. Using the physics of optics, the author also explains the connection between water’s appearance and the wind. Along with a glossary of sailing terms, he includes many examples throughout to illustrate the concepts in practice.

Avoiding unnecessary formalisms, this book skillfully applies the principles of fluid mechanics to sailboat technology and the art of sailing. It should help you become a more knowledgeable sailor.

Zielgruppe

Enthusiasts of sailing and yachting; students and scientists interested in the mechanics of sailing; engineers and other professionals involved in the design and construction of sailboats.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kimball, John

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Sport | Tourismus | Freizeit Sport Wassersport
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften: Allgemeines Populärwissenschaftliche Werke

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Depart, Depart from Solid Earth

Why Sailing, Why Physics, Why Both?

Origins
There’s Much More
Downwind—The Easy Direction

Speed

Forces

Boatspeed

Wind Shadow

Acceleration
Examples
The Speed Limit
Upwind—The Hard Direction

Overview
Iceboats
Sailboat Speeds
Why Is Sailing Upwind So Complicated?
Tipping, Torques, and Trouble

Roll, Pitch, and Yaw

Torques

Centers of Mass, Buoyancy, and Effort
Catamaran

Iceboat

Monohull

Staying Upright

Steering and Helm

Dynamics

Upright Mast

Personal Torques
See How the Mainsail Sets

Spinnaker
Mainsail and Jib
Real Sails
What Really Counts
Fluid Dynamics

Navier–Stokes Equation

Viscosity
Reynolds Number
Boundary Layers
Euler Equation
Why Are Fluids So Complicated?
Surfaces

An Example

Inadequate Theory

Curiosities

When Is It Smooth Enough?

Waves and Wakes

Wave Shape

Water Motion

Gravity Waves
Capillary Waves

Damping

Wind and Waves

Wave Packets and Group Velocity

An Example

Wakes

The Importance of Waves
Wind
Two Examples
Turbulence
Wind up High

Weather

Apologies
Strategy
Directions
Constant Preferred Direction
Variable Preferred Direction

Current

Least-Time Path

Light Analogy

Mathematical Approach
Predicting the Wind

Real Sailing
Finally
Sailing Glossary
Index

Über Autor(innen)

John Kimball is a professor of physics at the University of Albany.