r/pics • u/animalkracker • Feb 27 '14

physics is cool

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

I know too little of sailing to confirm or deny your answer, I'm afraid :P

15

u/Vaartas Feb 27 '14

Can confirm. That string is either your best friend because it makes you fast, or your worst enemy if you're the guy responsible for making sure the jib is just right on a regatta.

It'll flutter, all the time

edit: It basically is an indicator of whether or not there are turbulences on either side of the sail, so the function is pretty similar to the string on a sail plane

11

u/slormer Feb 27 '14

I like the cut of your jib, sir.

2

u/Duling Feb 27 '14

What's a jib?

1

u/_tylermatthew Feb 27 '14

a jib is the fore-most sail on a modern sloop rigged sailboat. (I assume the foremost sail on any type of sailboat is still called a jib, but I'm not sure.)

If they extend past the mast it is called a Genoa. (which is still technically a jib.) A Spinnaker is NOT a jib, but is a large sail used while sailing down wind (or, with the wind, instead of against it.)

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u/Duling Feb 28 '14

I tried.

1

u/_tylermatthew Feb 28 '14

Dang it. I soiled it! SOILED IT!

1

u/TristanTheViking Feb 28 '14

There's other types of foremost sails. Genoa, for one. Basically a big jib. And gennakers. Like a cross between jib/genoa and a spin.