Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Re: Sailing (Re: Psub for Lew)

[Lew Clayman <lew_clayman@yahoo.com>]

--- "Michael B. Holt" <mholt@richmond.edu> wrote:
> Lew Clayman wrote:
> > > In 1964, the British Sub-Aqua Club produced the plans to a glider
> > > that a diver would ride in a prone position.  With long wings, it
> > > would soar and glide just like an airplane.
> > 
> > Gotcha, riding thermals...
> 
> Or gradients in salinity!

Nice.  Or upwellings/downwellings due to bottom geometry - or due to any other cause.  In my mind,
I'm with whales off New England, where some large upwellings churn up food every summer.

> This is the same idea as sailing in space, using the wind of
> solar particles.  It has the same problems.   
> This is the same idea as sailing in space, using the wind of
> solar particles.  It has the same problems.   

Or sailing an airship (which didin't work out) - downwind a balloon is fine, upwind is a
puzzlement.  The option is to ascend or descend to where the currents are "going your way" - if
there are any, and if you can find them and get there before you drift too far from them.  A sub
might control its depth in order to drift that way, but it's not very appealing.

A sailboat works because it sits on the surface, keel in one medium and sail in another.  A
solution to sail upwind underwater might solve the airship problem and maybe the space problem.  

What might work in space is photovoltaic wings, but that's a totally different approach and not 
very promising underwater.  

-L




=====
"Balee haih-aih ha-hutcha see,  
 Sanana na hutcha heah." 
          - Marvin Gaye
=====

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