After a very long sabbatical, we're finally building some momentum on making our downwind cart go directly upwind faster than the wind.
We'll use the same vehicle, and will change only the prop and transmission. The propeller will come off (and will temporarily be on loan to a researcher doing R&D on low speed wind turbines). It will be replaced by a turbine. The turbine will look very much like the propeller, only hopefully nicer, and with the opposite twist and camber
Our resident aero expert, Steve Morris, once again knocked out a design to meet our specs, and a volunteer that's been following the project offered to cut the foam cores on his CNC mill. Pat Enright teaches design at SJSU, and has some experience making large propellers for human powered vehicles.
I expect to get all the pieces in the next few days, bond them to our new carbon windsurf masts, and start glassing again.
On the upwind cart the wind will turn our turbine, and that will turn the wheels, sending us upwind faster than the wind - steady-state. The turbine will also turn the opposite direction from the prop so we can again take advantage of the long left axle to keep us from overturning the Blackbird at speed.
We hope to do some upwind runs before the Summer winds subside, but JB has been traveling almost continuously for Sportvision. This might put a crimp in the transmission rebuild. Fingers crossed.
