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Numerical investigation on trimming of a single sail in a regatta

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Abstract

In sailing regattas, the actions of sailboats are to meet, overlap, pursue, pass, anti-collide, and defend. The aerodynamic performance of a sail based on a numerical simulation method is reported in this study. The parameters affecting the sail’s aerodynamic force coefficients, namely sailing angle, attack angle, mast shape, pitch angle, and camber ratio, are analyzed. From the results, basic principles and corresponding tactics of sail trimming are discussed and recommended for the start, during the windward, running, and leeward legs, before the finish, and near the marks. Sailors in the regatta should decrease the interaction of air flows around the sail to increase the lift force. The sailing angle, attack angle, pitch angle, and camber ratio should be adjusted to the appropriate degree to speed the boat when it is balanced. Sail trimming tactics have been practiced by professional sailors in regattas during which they can be scientifically supervised to compete against each other at Olympic Games.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51279154, 51009113), the Fok Ying-Tong Education Foundation for Young Teachers in the Higher Education Institutions of China (Grant No. 141112), Hubei Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar (Grant No. 2013CFA038), Outstanding Youth Science and Technology Innovation Team Foundation of the Colleges and Universities of Hubei Province (Grant No. T201320), and Hubei Provincial Department of Education of China (Grant No. Z20134103).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hubei Provincial Collaborative Innovation Centre for Exercise and Health Promotion, School of Sports Engineering and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Sports Engineering of General Administration of Sport of China, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, 430079, Hubei, China

    Yong Ma, Zhiyong Zhang, Shijie Lin & Qinzhen Zheng

  2. Centre for Maritime Engineering, Control and Imaging, School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics, Flinders University, Tonsley, SA, 5043, Australia

    Yong Ma, Youhong Tang & Nathan West

  3. School of Postgraduate, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, 430079, Hubei, China

    Zhiyong Zhang, Shijie Lin & Qinzhen Zheng

Authors
  1. Yong Ma
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  2. Youhong Tang
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  3. Nathan West
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  4. Zhiyong Zhang
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  5. Shijie Lin
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  6. Qinzhen Zheng
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Correspondence to Yong Ma or Youhong Tang.

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Ma, Y., Tang, Y., West, N. et al. Numerical investigation on trimming of a single sail in a regatta. Sports Eng 19, 81–90 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12283-015-0190-6

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