Sailing - the Physics Simplified
There’s a little more to the physics of sailing than the wind just pushing the boat along. Sailing boats move forward because of the flow of wind over the sails and the action of water resistance on the hull. Quite often sailing boats will actually travel faster than the wind.
The movement of the wind and the motion of the boat combine to create an air flow known as the ‘apparent wind’. The curved surface of a filled sail causes this air flow to move faster over the leading surface of the sail than the other side creating lift much like an aeroplane wing. The resistance of the water on the hull and keel prevents the boat being pushed sideways and so the boat moves forwards.
