Other Jimness > Cinder Spires Books
Sails?
wrangler:
So how do sails propel these airships, since there's no "wind" within an air mass?
Perhaps it's revealed later? I just started this book.
Rygar:
There is another type of energy, etheric energy, that also flows about the world in currents. The ship has sails, called a Web, that when powered catch this energy and propel the ship forward. Some craft also utilize traditional wind sails as a backup propulsion method.
wrangler:
I've now finished the book. The canvas sails to catch "wind" don't make sense.
Apparently this is a fundamental misunderstanding of air movement on the author's part. It's illustrated further by a character explaining that an airship felt a "crosswind" at one point. While you would expect to feel any abrupt change in air direction or speed momentarily, you don't feel a steady "crosswind".
Once you've got something floating in the air, it moves with the air. For example, stick your hand out of the basket under a balloon as you move across the ground, and you'll feel still air. The concept of "wind" relates to a frame of reference anchored against the air movement, such as a ground-based observer, or a boat in the water.
Quantus:
--- Quote from: wrangler on October 23, 2015, 04:07:35 PM ---I've now finished the book. The canvas sails to catch "wind" don't make sense.
Apparently this is a fundamental misunderstanding of air movement on the author's part. It's illustrated further by a character explaining that an airship felt a "crosswind" at one point. While you would expect to feel any abrupt change in air direction or speed momentarily, you don't feel a steady "crosswind".
Once you've got something floating in the air, it moves with the air. For example, stick your hand out of the basket under a balloon as you move across the ground, and you'll feel still air. The concept of "wind" relates to a frame of reference anchored against the air movement, such as a ground-based observer, or a boat in the water.
--- End quote ---
There are at least three different types of locomotion used by the airships. Etheric Webs are the most common and are what are usually in use in the novels these are self-propelling and operate based on principle of Etheric energy which I havent completely worked out yet. Wind sails are used as a backup system or when stealth is preferred, but have the noted difference of being less free in movement because you have to care about wind direction and speed, etc. where you do not with Etheric webs. Steam turbines are also used as a backup to the primary etheric systems, but are big and dangerous and loud (I think they mentioned they are favored by larger ships for that reason) but can also be used for short-term boosts when used alongside the primary etheric system.
What do you mean when you say there is no wind within an airmass, in the context of the spires?
wrangler:
For example:
When you're standing on the ground, and the air moves by at 10mph, that's a wind of 10mph. When you launch in a balloon, that "wind" will take your balloon along at 10mph. So the air's moving at 10mph across the ground, and so are you and your balloon. There's no difference in the speed of your balloon and the air mass surrounding it. You can stick out your hand and not feel a breeze. You can hang out a sail, and it will hang limp.
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