"how" sailboats work

[markhamlin]

Each semester for math academy (in school) we have to write a research paper. For this semester, I chose to create my own topic which I chose to be "math in sailing". It's a pretty big subject, to how sailboats work even to navigation, so if it's hard to find info about math in how sailboats work, I'll stick to navigation.

Does anybody know about any books (or websites) about the design of sailboats, why things are centered where they are, daggerboard positioning, curvature of the hull, size/curvature of the blades, sail shape, mast position, mast rake effects... it'd all be helpful.

Thanks!
-Mark Hamlin

 

[jackson_226]

hi
i beliveve the dagger board is positioned where it is as to stop the boat being blown across the water its got something to do with where the mast is also the sail works like a wing on a plane but insteed of lift its speed.
jackson

 

[computeroman2]

Frank Bethwaite's book "High Performance Sailing" has sections on all of the above. It runs for $35 or so on Amazon.com

I would recommend this book to anyone for anything- the first half is about wind patterns, and it's practically a meteorology course. the second half delves into the history of sailboat design from the first official regatta to the present.