10-18-05
Sailors’ Delight: Professor Offers Analysis of Downwind Aerodynamics
Dr. William Lasher, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State Behrend, will address “The Aerodynamics of Yacht Sails for Downwind Sailing” as the next lecture in the college’s School of Engineering and Engineering Technology Speaker Series.
Lasher’s presentation will be held at noon Thursday, Oct. 27, in 117 Reed Union Building. It is free and open to the public.
“When a sailing vessel sails in the general direction of the wind, it is referred to as ‘downwind sailing,’” Lasher says. “Despite the fact that people have been sailing downwind for thousands of years, the aerodynamics of this condition are not well understood. The flow around downwind sails is highly complex, and classical aerodynamic theory, which is used on airplane wings, does not apply. Recent advances in technology, however, are allowing us to analyze this flow and learn more about how these sails work.”
Lasher has conducted computational and experimental work on both modern racing sails and on the sails of the Brig Niagara, with interesting findings. The results will be used by both designers and sailors to improve performance, because in the case of racing yachts, speed increases of even a few percent are significant and can make the difference between a win and a loss.
For more information about Dr. Lasher’s lecture, phone the School of Engineering and Engineering Technology at 898-6153.