CA Book Reviews

The Physics of Sailing Explained; Bryon D Anderson; Adlard Coles International, 2003; £14.99; CA 16359

Brian Anderson is well qualified to write on how sail boats sail, being a lecturer in physics as well as a keen cruiser and racer. If you have ever wondered why you were being overtaken by a similar boat to yours which seems to be doing everything you are doing but still managing that extra speed, this book will explain the reason and next time out he may not get in front.

A wealth of subjects such as vortex formation, surface resistance, induced drag and even parasitic resistance (not an antibiotic!) are all discussed and explained. The black and white photographs and illustrations complement the text as the reader goes from basics such as “a boat’s maximum speed is fundamentally determined by its length”, to a description of Bernoulli’s Principle and the effect of the Coriolis force. Clearly and logically written this is an invaluable book for anyone who wants to do a little more than just ‘messing about in boats’