Originally Posted by
FBinNY
You missed the point.
a 270°+ workable wind angle range is vastly superior to one limited to one of 120° or less. Also consider that wind power is most effective when the wind angle is slightly forward of abeam. This way the wind speed increase with the vehicle speed, making speeds faster than the wind possible.
OTOH - running down wind, the wind power diminishes with vehicle speed and the maximum speed possible is less than the wind speed.
Actually, the faster you go the more the apparent wind angle shifts foreward, to the extent that really fast boats, like America's Cup foiling cats are ALWAYS sailing upwind, regardless of True Wind Angle. And...the suckers are doing 30 kts in maybe 11 kts of wind.