Why is wind directon expressed as "FROM"?

One could easily design a vane that worked the other way.


Most weather vanes I've seen are of the simple arrow type. A weather
vane of that type that pointed the other way would be
counterintuitive, the arrow would be "flying" backward.

In which case is a windsock confusing?

If we used standard vectors, the tail could be arrow shaped, lose the tail
and save 50% in parts costs

"Darrell S" wrote in message
news:xjdvf.4685$B93.1548@fed1read07...
JohnH wrote:
Is it me, or is wind direction bass ackwards?

Vectors normally indicate direction an object is moving, but not so
with wind.

Why is that?

The child asked his father, "Why does an elephant have such a funny nose?"
The father thought awhile, then replied, "Cause that's the way it is!"

That's pretty much the logic behind wind direction.

--

Darrell R. Schmidt
B-58 Hustler History: http://members.cox.net/dschmidt1/
-



In the old days of sail, long before the compass was divided into 360
degrees, or even "points", the classical Greeks and Phoenicians really only
recognised 4 primary winds - north, south, east and west.
The north wind came from - guess where?

"JohnH" wrote in message
...

In which case is a windsock confusing?


None that I can think of.



If we used standard vectors, the tail could be arrow shaped, lose the tail
and save 50% in parts costs

If you lose the tail you lose the ability to estimate wind speed from the
windsock.

In article ,
"Bob Chilcoat" wrote:

I suspect that it comes from the days of sailing ships. All of your course
decisions are based on the direction of the wind. Tacking, running,
reaching, etc. are all referred to the current wind direction. I'm not sure
I fully understand why FROM was chosen as the convention, but when you're
sailing, you tend to keep the wind in your face unless you're running.

Even more so than today, the old fashioned sailing ships never had the wind
in their face. I sail a J/24, which is a fairly modern design racing boat.
With everything set up right, new sails, and flat water, I can get within
about 35 degrees of the wind. The old square riggers were doing well if
they could get any closer than 60.

This, BTW, is why a toilet on a boat is called the head. On a vessel that
spends most of its time with the wind behind it, you put the toilets up on
the very front (i.e. the head of the boat) for odor control. Even sailors
know not to **** into the wind. It also happens to be the part of the boat
that gets the most water sprayed on it, which is wet and cold for the
users, but does make the apparatus somewhat self-cleaning.

JohnH wrote:

Why is that?


Just guessing here because I'm to lazy right now to think about it, but
could it be that the math to calculate heading corrections is easier
that way?

--
Chris W
KE5GIX

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On 5 Jan 2006 10:01:48 -0800, "Tony" wrote in
.com::

Make the arrowhead really big and mount the thing by the tail.

Tie a piece of string on a stick and see which way it points.

I know how to do it. I just wanted to see if Jose did.

On Thu, 05 Jan 2006 22:44:35 GMT, "Steven P. McNicoll"
wrote in
. net::


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .

How would you do that?


The shape doesn't matter. All that's required is greater surface area on
the downwind side of the pivot point.


So the placement of the pivot point is immaterial?

I know how to do it. I just wanted to see if Jose did.

Yes, I know how to do it. Do you really want to hear the same thing out
of even more posters?

Jose
--
You can choose whom to befriend, but you cannot choose whom to love.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...

So the placement of the pivot point is immaterial?


Well, where the pivot point is placed would determine which side of the
pivot point had the greater surface area. It all depends on your point of
view. Put the pivot point through the feathers and the arrow will "fly"
backward.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .

So the placement of the pivot point is immaterial?


Well, where the pivot point is placed would determine which side of the
pivot point had the greater surface area. It all depends on your point of
view. Put the pivot point through the feathers and the arrow will "fly"
backward.

I think Larry got you on this one. It is not which side of the pivot
has the greatest area, but which side has the greatest "area-arm".
Think W&B. A weather vane consisting of an infinitely thin rod with a
20 sq inch arrow 1 inch from the pivot and a 3 sq inch tailfeater 10
inches from the pivot will point into the wind.

--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.