Wing Sail Research Articles

Aerodynamics of High-Performance Wing Sails

Some of the primary requirements for the design of wing sails are discussed. In particular, the requirements for maximizing thrust when sailing to windward and tacking downwind are presented. The results of water channel tests on six sail section shapes are also presented. These test results include the data for the double-slotted flapped wing sail designed by David Hubbard for A. F. Di Mauro's IYRU "C" class catamaran Patient Lady II.

The Royal Aeronautical Society The First Fifty Years

Thomas Moy's declaration at the 1873 Meeting of the Society, that he and his partner Shill were constructing a large-scale model of a flying machine, roused considerable interest. Twelve months later, at the Meeting held on 15th May 1874, he said:“We have not got on so fast as we had hoped. Various difficulties had arisen which had to be mastered one by one as they cropped up. As their machine was only a working model, the aeroplane required to be made of some light material. Some time ago I was trying to get thin steel rolled and corrugated but I was unable to get anything suitable. I next tried a fine kind of brown holland for our wing sails, but found this would not take the curves kindly, but got into wrinkles. I am now making use of thin pine lathes nicely planed and fitted so as to form a sectional screw surface, and I think they would answer very well, and would form the nearest approach to a perfect screw that can be obtained.”