Re: To foil weathercockin

Posted by Camper on May 17, 2007

thanks Laszlo. Nice job keeping the pun OUT of the title, so it can't hurt as many people.

Implementation would be a job for a masochist, yes. All the challenges of rigging controls for a rudder would be inherited. Get the aerodynamics right would be another. Might need some learning/skill to use effectively too, but that would be the fun part. "No, I can't do an Eskimo roll, but I can neutralize weathercocking"

What is variable sweep? Is sweep the angle of the foil off the vertical, in side view? If so, pls give me your thoughts on the benefits. I was envisioning only one degree of freedom for the controls, that of "sail trim". Sheeting it in, letting it out, or letting go so it would "luff" and provide minimal "lee helm".

Would variable sweep be your *alternative* to adjust leeward moment? Or would it be in *addition* to the above? If sweep is the only control, then the angle of attack is fixed (presumably amidships).

In that case, airfoil would stall on a reach, which would kill any serendipitous--or surreptitious--thrust. A good thing for a true yakker. But for those of us who sneak an umbrella aboard "for sun protection" and then hoist it when a fine breeze rises, a point or two off the port beam, and no-one's watching...

In Response to: Re: To foil weathercockin by Laszlo on May 17, 2007

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