Windsurfing Math

pointster · Joined: 22 Jul 2010 Posts: 376

Seems like forever to me..

rigitrite · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 520 Location: Kansas City

This whole thread is a perfect example of why:
A. Our sport is dying
B. There are so few women interested in it.

We have met the enemey....and they are us.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

You're implying women dislike science ... a surprise for the many excellent women scientists and engineers I've worked with.

bates · Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 301

My answer: enough to break a sun and salt bleached harness line. I have broken two (one old and one new) already this season! all from catapults (always while spacing out or looking to tack/gybe before a set). Figure out the breaking strength of a new line at total force has to be at least that!

cgoudie1 · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 10:24 am Post subject:

I also know quite a few excellent female Scientists and Engineers, but,
I don't think it's the science, I think it's the geeks women are not attracted
to. So if you wanna attract women, I recommend you keep your geek
in the closet, and just rig for them. ;*)

-Craig

feuser · Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 1508

428.75lbs

Any questions?

rigitrite · Joined: 19 Sep 2007 Posts: 520 Location: Kansas City

waitinSD · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 42

Would you consider starting windsurfing if you saw this chick magnet?

After reading this thread I’m seriously thinking about quitting windsurfing...

whitevan01 · Joined: 29 Jun 2007 Posts: 607

I take issue with the title of this thread. It should be windsurfing physics. In any event, everyone has been estimating the average force and average acceleration. Actually, instantaneous acceleration in the middle of the collision can be much greater.

also, it not actually the acceleration that hurts a person, it's the collision. During a collision, the force starts out small then builds up to a maximum value and then diminishes. I am also assuming an elastic as opposed to an inelastic collision as long as the person doesn't get mushed so much that they end up sticking to the board or sail like a piece of gum or clay.

Finally, what really hurts is the rate of change of acceleration which is known as shock or jerk. To put this in perspective, velocity is the rate of change of position, acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, and shock or jerk is the rate of change of accleration. So, even if peak acceleration is not extremely high (10g's would be extremely high for a human), if the rate of change of acceleration is high then one is in for some pain.

Think basilar skull fractures like what killed Dale Earnhardt Sr. at Daytona a few years ago.

Just keep in mind that one can't get hurt in the air, it's only when one lands that one gets hurt.

one more quick point, the original post described getting "pulled off" one's board. It all depends on the frame of reference, but relative to the earth, what really happens is that the board stops and the human and rig keep going due to their momentum.