- #1
nautikal
- 20
- 0
When cars turn they lean away from the turn as the torque from the centripetal force is balanced by the larger normal force on the tires on the outside of the turn. However, boats lean into their turns. So when a boat is turning left, it will lean to left. This doesn't make any sense to me.
When a boat is turning to the left, the centripetal force is from the water and is applied on the lower portion of the boat and towards the left (assume a typical small craft that is hydroplaned and that we are viewing the boat from the stern). This is therefore a clockwise torque (again when looking from at the stern of the boat).
There is also the clockwise torque as a result of the imbalance in buoyant force when the boat leans to port.
The only counterclockwise torque I can think of in this situation is from the weight vector, which is generally above the waterline and thus a counterclockwise torque. But what initially causes the boat to lean into the turn?
When a boat is turning to the left, the centripetal force is from the water and is applied on the lower portion of the boat and towards the left (assume a typical small craft that is hydroplaned and that we are viewing the boat from the stern). This is therefore a clockwise torque (again when looking from at the stern of the boat).
There is also the clockwise torque as a result of the imbalance in buoyant force when the boat leans to port.
The only counterclockwise torque I can think of in this situation is from the weight vector, which is generally above the waterline and thus a counterclockwise torque. But what initially causes the boat to lean into the turn?