The Brennan Torpedo:

[Subduction Zone]

This is the same problem as the cart that sails Directly Downwind Faster Than The Wind. Except it is in the water, and the power source is a winch on land that pulls on a cable coming out of the back of the torpedo.


What I love about Steve Mould (does that rhyme with could?) is that he can explain this so that it is easy to understand. Essentially it runs upon the concept of mechanical advantage. So even though you are pulling backwards against the torpedo the mechanical advantage of how the propellers work against the water enables the torpedo to move forward.

Wikipedia has a nice article about it too:

Brennan torpedo - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Heyo]

What I love about Steve Mould (does that rhyme with could?)

It rhymes with cold.

And speaking of paradoxically fast things, these boats (low flying planes?) go up to 4 times faster than the wind that's powering them.

By the way, that clip is two years old, the current version has improved foils and goes even faster.