Description
Book SynopsisWhether you are an inquisitive landlubber who has never set foot in a boat, a casual weekend sailor, or an old salt who lives for the sea, Float Your Boat! is an accessible guide to the physics of sailing.
Trade ReviewIntelligent and understandable explanations of the physics of sailing... If you want to sound smart the next time you try explaining sailing to someone, read this book! Latitudes & Attitudes Armed with a PhD in physics, Denny fills a gap by addressing the evolution of this ancient means of transportation and the science that has affected its development... this book will appeal to those interested in the history and/or physics of sailing. Choice A light-hearted yet informative look at the physics of sailing ships... Clearly, the connections between physics and sailing run deep; as Denny points out, even Einstein was an avid weekend sailor. Physics World So comprehensive is Denny's narrative that it revisits prehistoric coracles made of animal skins and antlers before fast-forwarding to the Industrial Revolution. -- Steve Goddard www.historywire.com Denny's book is an entertaining read for any sailor, or any armchair physicist for that matter. Ocean Navigator An excellent approach for any nautical library. Midwest Book Review
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
1. Evolution: From Prehistory to the Age of Sail
2. Analysis: Square-Rigged Ship Motion
3. Evolution: From the Age of Sail to the Modern Yacht
4. Analysis: Fore-and-Aft Boat Motion—Introducing Lift and Drag
5. A Lot of Torque
6. Flying through Water
7. Windsurfing
Appendix: Lifting the Veil
Notes
Glossary
Additional Readings
Index
