Do I float higher going upwind?

[Rob_Webb]

One of my long distance sea swims the other day looking for something to think about..... suddenly noticed that I always enjoy swimming into a wind & chop more than swimming with it. Actually feels kind of easier. Why?

One observation, when swimming into the chop, my body seems to float higher as it constantly rides up and over waves. Whereas when I go with the waves I feel as though I'm wallowing with them and sometimes almost swamped. Which makes it feel harder even though I might be going faster over the ground.

Which got me thinkling about boats. Do they do the same? Certainly I've noticed that when sailing downwind in a big sea the boat often feels sluggish and lower in the water, as though you've got less freeboard. Obviously applies more to a displacement boat than when surfing.

Is this an illusion or is there somehting in it? Or is this just bo!!ocks dreamt up by an idle mind?

Maybe one of the designers here have a view?

 

[Lakesailor]

Is it because you're much stiffer when going upwind?

I mean the boat of course and not you, personally, as a swimmer.

 

[Rob_Webb]

What, and I go all rubbery downwind?

 

[Woodlouse]

You may not float higher going up wind. But you probably float lower goind down wind if you get what I mean. When the boat pushes through the water it creates two waves, one at the bow, one further aft. The faster you go the further back the second wave goes till it falls off the back of the boat and it squats down in the water. Another reason long overhangs were popular. Anyway, going downwind, you will usually be going faster even if you don't notice.

So there's my answer. You float lower going down wind, not higher going up.

 

[CodStewart]

What about when you are going downhill?

 

[Lakesailor]

That's because you haven't held the camera straight and the water only appears to go downhill.

 

[kds]

I have noticed the same - but blamed it on the angle of my body to the waves. going upwind, chin and neck and front of chest lift to waves, so your body lifts a little, but downwind, the legs, buttocks and back point down to waves overtaking them and so they ride up over you, depressing you ???
Ken

 

[Lakesailor]

I'm not sure we can discuss buttocks on Scuttlebutt /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[kds]

Oh ... Sill old me ... I thought the full name for the forum was scuttlebuttocks !
Ken

 

[Lakesailor]

Perhaps it's OK in an American accent; But Ocks