Aerodynamics and Sail Tuning in Competitive Conditions in the Optimist Class : Undergraduate Thesis

U ovom radu cilj je pokazati kakvo bi trebalo biti podešavanje jedara u klasi Optimist u određenim vremenskim uvjetima i situacijama, tj. ovisno o jačini vjetru i smjeru jedrenja. Budući da je autor ovog rada polučio vrhunske rezultate jedreći u klasi Optimist te radeći s djecom u toj istoj klasi, dobro poznaje tehničke aspekte broda, tj. podešavanje jedara, kao i njihova aerodinamička svojstva i sile. Sukladno tome, i ovaj rad podijeljen je na poglavlja koja pobliže upoznaju s poviješću jedrenja i temeljnim dijelovima broda u klasi Optimist, da bi se potom analizirale aerodinamičke sile u jedrenju i temeljni izvori sile u jedru. Najvažnije poglavlje bavi se upravo detaljnom analizom podešavanja jedara u različitim vremenskim uvjetima i iznosi zaključak o svakoj od situacija. Ovaj je rad još jedan od dokaza koliko je jedrenje kompleksan sport koji zahtijeva savršenu simbiozu fizičke i psihičke spreme jedriličara.The goal of this work is to show what the adjustment of sails should be in the Optimist class in certain weather conditions and situations, depending on the wind strength and the direction of sailing. Since the author of this work has made excellent results sailing in the Optimist class and working with children in that same class, he knows well the technical aspects of the ship, of the sails, and as well, aerodynamic forces. This work is divided into chapters that describe the history of sailing and present the basic parts of the ship in the Optimist class, and after that analyze the aerodynamic forces in sailing and the basic sources of force in the sails. The most important chapter presents detailed analysis of the setting of sails in different weather conditions and brings the conclusion about each of the situations. This work is just one of many evidences of how much sailing is a complex sport that requires the perfect symbiosis of the physical and psychological readiness of sailor