What were the key innovations that made sailboats more efficient? How do you increase the speed of a boat? How do sailboats travel into the wind? Why are so many explanations of sailing so wrong? Sailing enthusiast and physicist Mark Denny first traces the evolution of the sailing craft, from prehistoric coracles made of animal skins and antlers to the sailboat's reinvention as a pleasure craft during the Industrial Revolution. He then identifies specific sailing phenomena—how wind drives modern Bermuda sloops, how torque determines stability, why hull speed exists—and provides the key physics principles behind them.
"A light-hearted yet informative look at the physics of sailing ships.... Clearly, the connections between physics and sailing run deep; as Denny points out, even Einstein was an avid weekend sailor."—Physics World
"Intelligent and understandable explanations of the physics of sailing.... If you want to sound smart the next time you try explaining sailing to someone, read this book."—Latitudes & Attitudes