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

From a physical perspective, a sailboat extracts energy by slowing down air, and this energy can be used with clever maneuvers to move even against the direction of the wind.