Sail Performance : Techniques to Maximize Sail Power (Hardcover)

~ C. A. Marchaj (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Should be on the bookshelf of every serious amateur and professional sailor' Nautical Magazine --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Description

Fully updated, this authoritative and richly illustrated standard reference offers the latest information on rig design, sail construction and trim, wind-sail interaction, and the structure of the wind. From his 40 years of research and wind-tunnel tests, acknowledged expert Marchaj describes how these factors affect sail power and why certain rigs are superior in power and efficiency. Accessible and nonmathematical, this major work represents the cutting-edge wisdom on sailboat performance and makes a significant contribution to our understanding of this absorbing, complex subject.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 2nd edition (December 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071413103
• ISBN-13: 978-0071413107
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,043,675 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A techie new to sails: good overview, August 14, 2005

By	C. M. Radu "zwischenkieferknochen" (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I read this with a little background in fluid dynamics. It's very readable, convincing, authoritative, does not seem pedantic or too smart for an average interested reader like me. It covers a few sail types, and gives a good feel for their performance in general. For a good balance, a great picture of the late 1990's pre-oympic skiff (49er) need-for-speed formula-I dinghy design and sailing life is Frank Bethwaite's High Performace Sailing. It covers similar topics, is a little less academic, and emphasizes the experiments and stories that led up to the faster-than-the-wind skiffs. I liked both.