stackyFACTSSailing shouldn't make sense if you only understand basic pushing.
Sailing shouldn't make sense if you only understand basic pushing. Modern racing yachts, like those in America's Cup, use rigid hydrofoils to lift the hull out of the water. By sailing at an angle to the wind, the sails act exactly like airplane wings, generating forward 'lift.' This allows the boats to generate their own apparent wind, meaning they can comfortably cruise at 50 mph in a gentle 15 mph breeze, entirely mocking the laws of friction.
Keep exploring facts in this topic.
Transport →STACKY FOR IPHONEKeep discovering with Stacky. Interesting facts in an app that is always within reach.
Slamming directly into a massive jet stream is nature’s best way of holding an airplane hostage. A severe high-altitude headwind can force a plane to…
Discover more
If you drop a cork in deep water, it mostly just bobs up and down as waves pass. The massive wave is actually a phantom shape of pure energy moving through…
Discover more
A hovercraft is technically a massive fan riding on a cushion of air. It does not touch the water, and it can drive seamlessly onto a beach. Yet,…
Discover more
When a ninety-foot freak wall of water appears, a ship cannot just ride over it. The vessel must steer directly into the face of it, because if it gets caught…
Discover more
Small atmospheric vortices pick up loose dirt and fling it into the air purely due to localized heating. It is a localized tantrum of atmospheric pressure…
Discover more
A relaxing walk on the beach is basically a massive workout in disguise. Because the ground shifts beneath your feet, your muscles are forced to exert twice…
Discover more