How can sailboats move forward into the direction of the wind by using their sail?

Question

I don’t get how this is physically possible if the direction you want to go is literally the opposite direction of the way the wind is blowing. How can it ‘push’ them the opposite way it is going?

In: 20

Answer 1

They use the sail to push the boat sideways. Then they point the boat at an angle into the wind. Because the boat can’t go sideways, it obsessed goes into the wind.