America's Cup Velocity Made Good: Vectors!

America's Cup Apparent Wind: Vectors



Fresh to Frightening Crash Moments:



Superyacht Regatta:

Introduction: If you've been following the America's Cup races from San Francisco you've probably heard the announcers refer to VMG - velocity made good. This is a sailing term referring to the velocity of the boat towards a target (the component of the boat speed toward the target). Since the sailboats cannot sail directly toward their target they must try to optimize their speed, which does not necessarily mean the boat speed is as high as it could be for the conditions. The tacticians on the boats are constantly assessing wind and current conditions, course boundaries, and their opponents location to keep the boats heading toward the mark at the highest VMG - a very dynamic proposition! This is a video explainer of the concept that illustrates this practical application of vectors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84hwn8gPxNc If you have not been following the races, check out some of the videos online. These boats are amazingly quick and watching 13+ tons of sailboat riding on a hydrofoil the size of a surfboard at 45+ mph is exciting.