VonBonfire
Well-known member
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Thinking a little more on it....since the boat is not stationary like a viewer, the downhill run is only 6 or 8 inches per mile. So you ARE sailing downhill, but only ever so slightly, and not at any rate you could perceive with your senses nor any amount that would create any measurable additional speed since a boat hull experiences significant drag to begin with.
That doesn't have any bearing on it though that I can see. It doesn't eliminate the curve on our globe earth model. Even on a perfectly flat sea, there is still curvature in this model, because the ship sails over the horizon, or rather, dips below it as it disappears from the sight of the viewer over the curve.Even gravity creates an even surface. The surface is measured to the center of the earth, so all across the ocean is basically the same distance from the center of the earth, hence smoothing sailing
Thinking a little more on it....since the boat is not stationary like a viewer, the downhill run is only 6 or 8 inches per mile. So you ARE sailing downhill, but only ever so slightly, and not at any rate you could perceive with your senses nor any amount that would create any measurable additional speed since a boat hull experiences significant drag to begin with.