Yes, the tires act like a keel providing sideforce. The front wheel also acts like a rudder, controlled by foot pedals. The left/right is inverse of an airplane rudder.
I don’t know the angle in degrees, but it felt like it could be very close to the wind. The wheels resist sideways from zero speed, unlike a keel that needs some flow moving to be effective. Also the carts have very little mass compared to a boat. Those things together make the acceleration really exciting.
And sitting so low to the ground amps up the feeling of speed.
I was sailing in the Mojave Desert when it was about 40-45°C. The lakebed dust gets into everything and never really washes out. So it’s a thrill to sail, but not as pleasant as being on the water.
This fascinates me, but I’ve got stupid questions:
Not stupid questions.
Yes, the tires act like a keel providing sideforce. The front wheel also acts like a rudder, controlled by foot pedals. The left/right is inverse of an airplane rudder.
I don’t know the angle in degrees, but it felt like it could be very close to the wind. The wheels resist sideways from zero speed, unlike a keel that needs some flow moving to be effective. Also the carts have very little mass compared to a boat. Those things together make the acceleration really exciting.
And sitting so low to the ground amps up the feeling of speed.
I was sailing in the Mojave Desert when it was about 40-45°C. The lakebed dust gets into everything and never really washes out. So it’s a thrill to sail, but not as pleasant as being on the water.