Other Jimness > Cinder Spires Books
Sails?
Quantus:
--- Quote from: wrangler on October 23, 2015, 06:42:57 PM ---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.
--- End quote ---
Ah, ok sure. But that only applies when the air/wind is both the motive force and the supporting media, as in hot air ballon or similar, which is not the case on these types of ether-powered airships, or even traditional sailboats.
knnn:
To expand on Quantus' response, this only happens when you are going at the exact velocity of the wind. This is generally true of hot air balloons, because of the large surface size of the ballon compared to the basket and because the circular shape means it can only go in the direction of the wind.
However, on a ship with multiple sails (like the Predator) this is definetly *not* going to be the case. If the ship was only capable going in the direction of the wind, it would be impossible to manouver. Instead, you "tack to the wind", angling the sails so you capture only the parts of the wind you want. And any time you're not going exactly in the direction of the wind you will feel a breeze.
wrangler:
--- Quote from: Quantus on October 23, 2015, 06:58:23 PM ---Ah, ok sure. But that only applies when the air/wind is both the motive force and the supporting media, as in hot air ballon or similar, which is not the case on these types of ether-powered airships, or even traditional sailboats.
--- End quote ---
The book mentions using wind instead of ether or engines. Deploying a sail when under power would simply add drag and slow the airship; there's no "wind" to utilize for additional motive force. The only perceptible air motion is equal and opposite to the direction of travel, and a sail would oppose that. When you're free of the surface, you're moving along with the air.
Sailboats, as I pointed out, can use wind, since they are not free of the surface. That doesn't apply to airships.
Griffyn612:
--- Quote from: wrangler on October 23, 2015, 07:20:31 PM ---The book mentions using wind instead of ether or engines. Deploying a sail when under power would simply add drag and slow the airship; there's no "wind" to utilize for additional motive force. The only perceptible air motion is equal and opposite to the direction of travel, and a sail would oppose that. When you're free of the surface, you're moving along with the air.
Sailboats, as I pointed out, can use wind, since they are not free of the surface. That doesn't apply to airships.
--- End quote ---
I think there were two types of sail. One was the silk weaver material that caught ether wind (not air wind) and propelled it on those waves. The other sails were wind sails, which were backup propulsion that they had no real control over.
knnn:
--- Quote from: wrangler on October 23, 2015, 07:20:31 PM ---The book mentions using wind instead of ether or engines. Deploying a sail when under power would simply add drag and slow the airship;
--- End quote ---
In fact, while they get the sail ready, they only ever use the sails when not under power.
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