Sailboat Going Upriver

[LTD.330]

So, if a sailboat's little engine can push the boat a maximum of 6 knots in calm water, can it go upriver in a 10 knot current? Say the river runs true North and there is 4 knot wind from the south, can the saliboat go upriver? Can the sailboat ever go upriver if the current downriver matches the combined speed of the engine and wind?

 

[JayhawkCurtis]

Which direction and how fast is the conveyor belt moving?

 

[TimW]

No
Yes
No

 

[Halfhitch]

So, we have the river running north at 10 knots and the wind blowing North at 4 knots and the diaper drive boat has a top water speed of 6 knots with the engine.....I would say the boat operator should call his friends up North and tell them he's coming for a visit.

 

[LTD.330]

So, we have the river running north at 10 knots and the wind blowing North at 4 knots and the diaper drive boat has a top water speed of 6 knots with the engine.....I would say the boat operator should call his friends up North and tell them he's coming for a visit.

The river is flowing south at 10 knots which is against the wind and travel of the sailboat.

 

[ErikE]

I'll ask my lifelong sailor dad today...but I think the answer is somewhere in that even going against a 10 knot current, the boats design is to cut through it and not have a realized 10 knot of force against it.

He has sailed all over the great lakes and I have never heard him say...we can't go there due to the current.

 

[FootballFan]

We have done bareboat charters in the San Juan islands a few times on power boats. Wonderful area with tons of islands that you can meander through.

Tidal current can be brutal in areas. Talking with sailboat friends about routing between the areas during current flow and their answer was - you just don't go there with a sailboat.

 

[my3sons]

The day I took this picture on the Niagara River, I would guess that the current there under the Peace Bridge was running around 10 kts. My boat, in calm water, idles on both shafts at about 6 kts. If my throttles jammed and I couldn't run above an Idle, there's this little thing a few miles behind my boat called Niagara Falls, and, well, ...Let's just say it wouldn't be a good day on the water.

However, if the Niagara was able to accelerate in the opposite direction to the same speed as....


.

 

[Wanderer 290]

Reference another but similar topic on this forum…

Can the plane takeoff?

 

[electricaldoctor]

If it takes an acre & 1/2 of moonlight to cover a s_it house roof, how far would a mouse turd have to drop to split a 2" plank?

 

[1956olds]

UM its a sail boat , go around it and enjoy your day.If you feel guilty call the coasties for them.