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sail

vr.tr.sail · thing-q25999

Let an agent explain sails and how they work, describe kinds and rigs, relay materials, design and safety, and distinguish sails from kites, wind turbines and other wind devices.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.OBJ
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Understand How sails work.

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics.

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics.

  1. How do sails generate lift and drag, and how can boats sail upwind? definition
  2. Is the device a sail, a kite or another wind device? boundary

Kinds

Kinds and rigs.

Kinds

Kinds.

  1. What kinds of sail exist, and how do rigs combine them? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific sail or rig? action
Make Materials and design.

Materials

Materials.

Materials

Materials.

  1. What materials are sails made from, from canvas to laminates and rigid wings? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Design

Sail design.

Design

Design.

  1. How are sails designed, cut and measured, including under class rules? provenance
  2. Which entry fits sailmaking? action
Use Handling and safety.

Handling

Trim and handling.

Handling

Handling.

  1. How are sails trimmed, reefed and handled, in general terms? provenance
  2. Is the user seeking instruction for real sailing, which needs a qualified course? boundary

Safety

Safety.

Safety

Safety.

  1. What safety issues involve sails, and how are they managed? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Context History and future.

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How did sails develop from ancient square sails to modern rigs and wingsails? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of sailing? action

Future

Wind-assisted shipping.

Future

Future.

  1. How are sails and wingsails being revived for cargo ships, as reported? provenance
  2. Which entry fits wind-assisted propulsion? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.OBJ
Other names and narrower kinds
wingsail, inflatable wing sail, windsurf sail rig, Spanker (sail), mainsail, spinnaker, lateen sail, square rig, Drabler, WindWing, royal, topsail

What it is Filled

A surface of fabric or rigid material that captures wind to propel a boat, ship, windsurfer or land vehicle, in forms such as square and fore-and-aft sails, mainsails, jibs, spinnakers and spankers, rigid wingsails and inflatable wing sails, and windsurf sail rigs; sails work by generating lift and drag, are made from cotton, flax or modern synthetic fabrics and are rigged on masts and spars under systems such as sloop, ketch and junk rigs.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent explain sails and how they work, describe kinds and rigs, relay materials, design and safety, and distinguish sails from kites, wind turbines and other wind devices.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Lift and drag propulsion
  • Fabric or rigid forms
  • Rig-dependent shapes
  • Trim and control

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Keep full sail up when the forecast or crew ability does not allow it.
  • Advise sailing without the required safety equipment or lifejackets.
  • Adjust rigging or hoist sails on a vessel it is not authorized to handle.
  • Report a damaged sail or worn rigging as sound.

Only with a human decision

  • Any decision to leave harbour or to continue in worsening weather.
  • Changing sail plan or reefing in heavy conditions.

May

  • Report sail condition, trim and wind data for a vessel it is authorized to assist.
  • Explain sail types and reefing practice from seamanship sources.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Overpressed sails capsize boats and kill crew, often inexperienced ones.
  • Rig failure under load injures people on deck.

Who is affected

  • Crew and passengers
  • Rescue services
  • The vessel's owner

Owners Filled

Steward

The skipper of the vessel; the owner holds the boat and its gear.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q15688633 - registry parent class
  • Q2424752 - registry parent class
  • Q2583685 - registry parent class

related

  • ship element - in registry terms
  • propulsion - in registry terms
  • product - in registry terms
  • mast - and spars

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.sail
  • Wikidata: Q25999 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q25999)

Direct properties required Filled

  • Sail area: m2 - Measure the sail surface using a stated geometric or class measurement convention.
  • Areal mass: g/m2 - Measure the mass per unit area of the sailcloth or laminate.
  • Tensile strength: N/m - Measure breaking force per specimen width in a stated material direction under specified test conditions.
  • Air permeability: L/(m2 s) - Measure airflow through a unit area of sail material at a stated pressure difference.

Recognition required Filled

  • Wind-catching surface for propulsion
  • Mainsail, jib, spinnaker, spanker, wingsail, windsurf sail
  • Kites fly on lines; wind turbines extract power; solar sails use light pressure
  • A large fabric or rigid surface set on a mast to catch the wind.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • explain aerodynamics and kinds
  • describe rigs and materials
  • relay design and handling
  • distinguish from related devices

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Tearing and rig failure
  • Capsize from overpowering
  • Confusing sail types and rigs

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Class rules for racing sails
  • ISO standards for small craft rigging
  • Sail measurement rules of sailing federations

Context of use required Filled

  • Propelling craft by wind.
  • square sails
  • fore-and-aft sails: mainsail, jib, genoa, mizzen and spanker
  • downwind sails: spinnaker and gennaker
  • rigid and inflatable wingsails
  • windsurf and kite-adjacent sail rigs
  • sails for land and ice yachts
  • modern cargo ship sails

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q25999: sail - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Sail - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should each sail type be a separate entry?
  • How should class rules be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming specific sail types and technologies; should they be split off?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q25999/spec.json