Ahoy pirates! Welcome to our guide to sails and speeds. Ever wondered why other ships appear to chase you down faster than you can outrun them? Here’s short and simple way of telling what ship is fastest in every situation.
Types of Wind
Headwind
We speak of headwind when the wind is coming straight towards your ship, from the bow to the stern.
Ships have different speeds when Headwind hits your sails straight on and when sails are rotated to the left or right (Sails rotated).
Crosswind
We speak of crosswind when the wind is coming towards the sides of your ship.
When the wind is blowing against the front of the sails – for instance when the wind is blowing from the ‘top left’ to ‘bottom right’ of the ship – we speak of sailing Into Crosswind.
When the wind is blowing into the sails – for instance when it’s blowing from ‘bottom left’ to ‘top right’ – we speak of sailing Crosswind.
Just like Headwind, ships will have different speeds when you sail Into Crosswind with the sails straight or rotated as if sailing Crosswind.
Tailwind
We speak of tailwind when the wind is coming from behind your ship, from stern to bow.
Sloop
- Headwind: 1.05 meters per second
- Headwind ( Sails rotated ): 0.90 meters per second
- Into Crosswind: 1.26 meters per second
- Into Crosswind ( Sails rotated): 1.22 meters per second
- Crosswind: 1.53 meters per second
- Tailwind: 1.39 meters per second
Brigantine
- Headwind: 1.00 meters per second
- Headwind ( Sails rotated): 0.90 meters per second
- Into Crosswind: 1.36 meters per second
- Into Crosswind ( Sails rotated): 1.53 meters per second
- Crosswind: 2.30 meters per second
- Tailwind: 1.69 meters per second
Galleon
- Headwind: 0.93 meters per second
- Headwind ( Sails rotated ): 0.78 meters per second
- Into Crosswind: 1.12 meters per second
- Into Crosswind ( Sails rotated): 1.65 meters per second
- Crosswind: 2.07 meters per second
- Tailwind: 1.71 meters per second
The Results
Headwind
Sloops with 1.05 meters per second.
Headwind ( Sails rotated )
Tied between Sloops and Brigantines with 0.90 meters per second.
Into Crosswind
Brigantines with 1.36 meters per second.
Into Crosswind ( Sails rotated)
Galleons with 1.65 meters per second.
Crosswind
Brigantines with 2.30 meters per second.
Tailwind
Galleons with 1.71 meters per second.
This concludes our guide to Sails and Speeds!
Good luck outrunning or chasing down pirates and adjusting your sails like a true Pirate Lord!
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And yes, Brigantines are the best type of ships.