Directorly Downwind Faster than the Wind

[Mike Furness]

Some of you (with respect) must be mad! consider firstly a sailboat running directly downwind; and let's say we don't want to be drifting about, so we start the engine, at the exact speed of the wind the sails fall in the water, because there IS NO WIND, therefore no power; similarly, put the little machine on a road, with no wind, does it rush off into the distance, of course not! Stretch your minds a ,little, and then you'd have aeroplanes without fuel, Hmmmmmmm!
FYI, any force, be it mechanical , electrical, or wind can be considered as the resolution of two vectors at right angles, and is the underlying knowledge and manipulation involved in such diverse applications from automotive wheel balancing to SSB radio transmitters.

For a boat to sail fastest, one starts with the wind on the beam (90 degrees or less than, NEVER more), as the boat accelerates, the 'apparent wind' heads the boat and gets stronger by a simple vector addition of the boat's speed, therefore the vector pushing the boat declines as the vector pushing sideways increases dramatically, hence boat is held laterally by the keel and heels over more.

The limit of course is when the angle to apparent wind becomes so small that it equals the losses of sail efficiency and friction. in any case, normal displacement hulls make waves which limit the top speed, which is approximately 1.4 x the square root of the waterline length unless the vessel is light enough to plane.
Land yachts and ice yachts are not limited by such factors and with extremely low friction can obtain quite phenomenal speeds, and close windedness somewhat similar to aircraft wings.
i have not posted here for some time, as I see these groups as a forum to scientifically challenge any 'misguided' information.

Sadly, I mostly see 'camp followers' and total acceptance of outlandish statements, with of course the inevitable utube video, usually high on pictures and music, and devoid of any technical information!

Firstly I challenge the originator to produce 'Proper drawings,' & 'Bill of materials' which includes the pitch and diameter of the propeller, and the number of rotations per foot of wheel travel, so ANY can 'build exactly as shown.'

Next, as a simulation of travelling at wind speed, place on a flat road when no wind; will the propeller turn all on it's own? NO sir, it won't, maybe a concession, push it with a stick at walking speed, will it accelerate away from you NO sir!

Finally, in a real situation where the machine starts off with a following wind and the wind turns the propeller (as it will) to accelerate the machine downwind; and assume for one moment that it does actually exceed the wind speed, the wind now comes from ahead and will REVERSE the propeller direction and stop the machine!
Unless the inventor's plans show automatic pitch reversal at wind speed, then this post has truly exposed a scam! (Or lack of experimental correctness)

Sensible comment welcome,

Mike.

Mike, J. Furness.

[ramset]

Mike,
Are you saying that Google [their sponser]
Is running a scam?  Hoax?
And all the fellows that sanction these events and validate them,They are in on it too?

http://www.nalsa.org/DownWind.html

Perhaps I'm missing your point??

Chet

[tbird]

Mike, J. Furness

Some of you (with respect) must be mad!

this statement, coming from you, sounds like "the pot calling the kettle black".

your overall post has a lot of holes in it.  i won't address them each at this time.  it should be enough to just point out you have based everything on the wrong concept.

the wind doesn't drive the blade that turns the wheels that moves the device (car, cart, etc.).  it's just the opposite.  the wheels drive the blades that create thrust that pushes the device.

if you take the time to go (and read) to this link...

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/08/ddwfttw/all/1

you will find a very detailed article on the subject.

enjoy!!

tom

[tagor]

Sensible comment welcome,

Mike.

Mike, J. Furness.

are you serious ?

is it a joke ?

if you want to built it look at this forum

http://www.econologie.com/forums/post183525.html#183525


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBm6DU_t9i0&feature=player_embedded

[Cloxxki]

Are people applying for the award "last person to understand DDWFTTW"?

It's not a debate anymore. It's an open question how to best apply what's been proven, for betterment of mankind. Better wind turbines, better fuel efficiency transport.