Forces on sails (3 m) = 5-m/s (≈10-knot) wind at 3 m above the water would be approximately "V" (15 m) = 6 m/s (≈12 knots) at 15 m above the water. In hurricane-force winds with "V" (3 m) = 40-m/s (≈78 knots) the speed at 15 m would be "V" (15 m) = 49 m/s (≈95 knots) with "p" = 0.128. This suggests that sails that reach higher above the surface can be subject to stronger wind forces that move the centre of effort ("CE" ) higher above the surface and increase the heeling moment. Additionally, apparent wind direction moves aft with
Forces on sails lift. As sailing craft are able to achieve higher speeds, whether on water, ice or land, the velocity made good (VMG) at a given course off the wind occurs at apparent wind angles that are increasingly further forward with speed. This suggests that the optimum VMG for a given course may be in a regime where a spinnaker may be providing significant lift. Traditional displacement sailboats may at times have optimum VMG courses close to downwind; for these the dominant force on sails is from drag. According to Kimball, "C" ≈ 4/3 for most sails with the apparent wind angle