I used to own a 16 ft. sailboat and was never more than what I called an ‘experienced amateur’ sailor. I loved the boat and was always amazed at the physics of sailing. It seemed that the most boring way to sail was with the wind directly behind. I did not use a spinnaker so that wasn’t an option. The biggest thrill was sailing ‘close’ to the wind.
You’d think that with the wind coming at you from a sharp angle from the side, that you’d flounder or at least have a tough time moving. Not so. My biggest thrill was like the one you see in the photos when the crew is hanging on the side of a boat that is leaning sharply, running into the wind. The idea was to find that point where the seemed wind resistance was actually pulling the boat forward at increased speed.