Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Reformatted to fit your screen.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                         

Please log in.
Before you can vote, you need to register. Please log in or create an account.

Windproof House

Sail house into the storm
  (+1, -2)
(+1, -2)
  [vote for,
against]

When a strong wind such as a gale or hurricane blows, houses are sometimes blown over.

A pair of masts mounted to the roof will have a sail apiece, appropriately reefed for the conditions, booms angled such that the house appears to be tacking into the wind. One sail will be on a port tack while the other is on a starboard tack, with the combined effect pushing the house into the wind and counteracting the blowing force.

whatrock, May 21 2019

Henry Winstanley https://en.wikipedi...ki/Henry_Winstanley
The perils of hubris ... [8th of 7, May 21 2019]

Windmill Ship https://en.wikipedi.../wiki/Windmill_ship
Practical. [8th of 7, May 21 2019]

[link]






       "... but the fourth little pig put masts and sails on his house ... and nothing was seen or heard of him ever again. The End."
8th of 7, May 21 2019
  

       //with the combined effect pushing the house into the wind and counteracting the blowing force.//   

       Ah, no, it won't work that way.
MaxwellBuchanan, May 21 2019
  

       This concept could be applied to a sailboat, substituting a boat for the house. Could be the first sailboat ever to sail directly into the wind.   

       Worth a try anyway. You can drive.
whatrock, May 21 2019
  

       // Could be the first sailboat ever to sail directly into the wind. //   

       No, that's Baked and WKTE. <link>
8th of 7, May 21 2019
  

       So, put a windmill on the house, geared to catterpillar tracks in the basement...?
pocmloc, May 21 2019
  

       [pocmloc] The concept was lifted from sailing somewhat against the wind by angling your sails accordingly. If equal and opposite sail angling were to occur would the resultant force on the house be to push it against the wind, resisting blow-over?
whatrock, May 21 2019
  

       No.   

       Look st a diagram of how a sailing ship tacks into the wind.   

       The geometry is relatively simple and vector addition shows that the vessel can travel at about 1.4 times te wind speed (square root of 2).   

       If you have two masts on "opposite " tacks, the vector sum will not be zero normal to the direction of the wind; you'll just generate tension between the masts.
8th of 7, May 21 2019
  

       The thing about tacking into the wind is that it needs a shear- line that's up-sea of the quarter-point (which can be a problem if you've left too little sea-room). Even then, luffing on a lee tack will cause you to skew to larboard, even with a full keel to the tideline.
MaxwellBuchanan, May 21 2019
  

       Well put.
whatrock, May 22 2019
  

       Just circumnavigation?
wjt, May 23 2019
  
      
[annotate]
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle