Introduction The first recorded sailboats in history were used by the Ancient Egyptians and the Persians around 3,000 BCE (Johnson). Although the first sailboats were designed and used 5,000 years ago, the actual physics that make sailboats work are a little more complicated than many people might think. It's surprising what people have been able to develop in regards to sailboat designs. In 2012, for example, a sailboat designed to maximize speed, the "Vespas Sailrocket II", was recorded traveling around 65knots (about 75mph), and the wind was only blowing about 30knots (about 35mph) (WSSRC). A commonly asked question is how can a sailboat be moving faster than the wind if the wind is whats propelling it? Or,how is it that a sailboat can move faster than the wind when going upwind but can't do so while going downwind? How can a sailboat move against the wind faster than sailing with the wind?                                                                                                                                                                                                           vectorstock.com