If you are sailing, and the wind is blowing at 40 mp, Can you travel at 40 mph,?

Answer 1

A frictionless theoretical sailboat can go at any speed, even faster than the wind, provided that it is not headed directly downwind. Iceboats routinely speed faster than the prevailing wind, and some high performance sailboats can do the same. What matters is that there be a relative wind speed to provide the force on the sails. As an easy example, if a sailboat is travelling perpendicular to the wind, then regardless of how fast it is going, there's still the force of wind upon it, which can be harnessed by curved sails which redirect the wind rearward, and create a resultant force that drives the boat, even if the boat is travelling cross with the wind. There is no theoretical limit to how fast such a sailboat can go, but practical limits makes it difficult to go much faster than the prevailing wind speed.

Answer 2

Yes, if you travelled at eighty miles per hour directly into the wind. Or, if you were under power from the wind only and travelling right in line with the wind behind you.

Answer 3

If you were going 80 mph on a sailboat, yes you could. Or if you weren't using any power on a sailboat and a 40mph wind pushed you.

So basically, YES you could go 40mph with a 40mph wind. :)