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

I’ll try to post a longer answer later, but the shape of the sail when angled at wind can be shaped a bit like a wing. The wind moving over the sail or wing basically created a sucking force It’s that force which sucks the boat towards the wind for lack of a better word.

Edit – Actually this video is way better, ignore above