[TML] A Bit of Fluff

[shadow at shadowgard.com]

On 2 Apr 2008 at 0:24, Richard Aiken wrote:

> On Tue, Apr 1, 2008 at 11:09 PM, Michael Jenkins <darvedd at gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 02/04/2008, Eris Reddoch <erisred at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> > Possible solutions:
> >
> > Have the CG centre of lift point well above the vehicle's centre of
> > balance, so that it self rights.
> >
> > Have a keel below the vessel to counterbalance. The keel would
> > probably need to be an aerofoil shape with some control over its angle
> > of attack.
> 
> Doubled masts and sails - one set above the "boat" and the other below
> it.  ISTR that the GDW boardgame "Cloudships and Gunboats" dealt with
> this.  Unfortunately, I can't recall exactly what it said and the
> actual game is in storage.

Won't actually work. 

They tried sails on balloons. Doesn't work The ballon just drifts 
with the wind.

Keels on boats only work because they have "grip" on the water. Sail 
powered wagons and ice-boats work by doing so with the ground or the 
ice.

You *can't* steer a sail powered vehicle that has nothing to interact 
with but the wind.

--
Leonard Erickson (aka shadow)
shadow at shadowgard dot com