Sailing is a highly technical sport that requires knowledge of geometry and physics to navigate. Whether you want to sail around the world or just spend summer weekends on the water, there is much to learn. Familiarizing yourself with terms like port, starboard, leeward, halyard, eye of the wind, velocity made good and course over ground will help you feel more confident on your first day aboard.
The force of the wind is proportional to its speed times the square of the apparent wind speed (a mixture of real wind and air displaced by the yacht). There are also a variety of physical mechanisms that create drag and slow the boat down, including surface friction between microscopic layers of water and the hull’s wetted surface area. These can be overcome by minimizing surface friction, increasing sail area, and by designing a hull that reduces the pull of the water.
For example, the drag of a long, wide keel is greater than that of a narrow, deep keel, because there is more surface area in contact with the water. A narrower keel also has less water to displace, reducing drag.
Sailing is an amazing way to experience the beauty and power of nature. It’s also a great way to disconnect from the busyness of daily life and refocus on what’s important. The Trautmans have been sailing for seven years and have racked up more than 70,000 ocean miles. They’re currently docked in French Polynesia.
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