Turning into & away from the wind (and tweak suggestion)

[Pseudotheist]

I was pondering the practical differences of ships reversing course by turning into vs. away from the wind. So I figured I'd maneuver through a set for comparison and share the pictures...

The initial setup here is two first rates in the middle (F maneuver deck) bracketed by a pair of sloops on the outside (G maneuver deck); I figure that should represent the most and least nimble ships. The wind is blowing from left to right, straight across the mat.


It doesn't make much of a difference for the comparison, but I'm surprised to discover that it appears the first rates can actually achieve a reach perpendicular to the wind.


Unsurprisingly, the sloop can clear being taken aback in a single turn. Also of interest, the turning rate into the wind is almost identical to the turning rate while beating. The sloop could probably turn faster downwind at backing sail, and there's some indication that a less aggressive initial turn could avoid running directly down wind to make for a faster overall turn, but this wasn't intended to be an exhaustive analysis of the most efficient turning techniques.


Through one turn into the wind, the First Rate also keeps pace with its downwind counterpart. Intriguingly, initial measurements seemed to indicate that she could also clear the taken aback zone in a single maneuver, but that seemed unlikely, so I fiddled with my wind gauge, and with the previous maneuver, so when all was said and done she didn't quite. Still not sure if it's actually possible, but it's definitely closer than I thought.


And here we see being taken aback again costs about a ship's length of distance made good, but with an additional 20-30 degrees of turn, as well as being good half-dozen ship lengths upwind.


Hopefully some of you find this demonstration somewhat interesting in it's own right, but what got me on the subject was the thought that there's really not much penalty to turning through the wind. Even on the off chance that a ship has to fall off to complete the turn, on the next maneuver she can be back a full speed and full sails with advantageous wind position. It seems to me that a ship taken aback should not resume full speed immediately upon exit. I think it would be reasonable to say that a ship taken aback on the previous turn must resolve her maneuver card as if at backing sail, and on the second turn thereafter if at full sail must resolve her maneuver as if at battle sails. Any other thoughts on the subject? Anyone think that's reasonable, or a completely inaccurate understanding of how ships would have behaved, or any other observations about the nature of turning in general?