American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 345 Reversing Ship Launch, Raven's Charm
"How was your morning, Lin?" she asked curiously, taking a bite of her sandwich. "What did you think of my dad's teaching style? Did you really want to kick him off the ship?"

This bold joke made Mike glare at her, both amused and exasperated.

“No,” Lin Yu’an replied seriously, “Captain Mike’s teaching method is very efficient and full of practical experience.”

“Each instruction carries a clear purpose and warning, which allows the muscles to form memory at the fastest speed.”

“Did you hear that?” Mike said smugly to his daughter. “That’s called professional.”

"Yes, yes, you're the most professional." Raven shrugged nonchalantly, then turned her gaze to Lin Yu'an, her eyes sparkling with inquiry.

"And what about you, Lin? I'm more curious about you. I admit, I initially wanted to give you a hard time by having you tie the knot with one hand,"

She readily admitted her intention, "But I didn't expect you to actually do it, and even optimize it. You must have your own unique learning style, right?"

This is also the question that millions of viewers in the live stream most want to know.

Lin Yu'an put down the sandwich in his hand, met her gaze, and calmly said:

"I'm used to building models in my mind. Any complex action, in my view, is composed of basic geometric and physical logic."

"Once you understand the underlying logic, finding the optimal path is just a computational problem."

He couldn't possibly mention his own magic touch; instead, he explained it in a way that sounded like a scientific methodology.

This Versailles-esque explanation instantly caused an uproar in the live chat.

【Wait, what did I just hear? A calculation problem? I'm tying a knot and you're telling me that's a calculation problem?】

[Translate Lin Shen's words: Anyone with hands can do it.]

[Versailles! A blatant Versailles! But why am I packing this too?!]

Raven fell silent. She had grown up at sea and learned to sail mostly through intuition and a lot of muscle memory.

This was the first time she had heard someone interpret a sport using an engineer's mindset.

Building a model in your mind? Optimal path? Calculating the problem? This doesn't sound like learning to sail at all; it sounds more like solving a complex math problem.

“Building a model…” she murmured, repeating the word over and over, her blue eyes filled with wonder. “It must be a completely different world from ours.”

“It’s all the same in the end,” Lin Yu-an said. “You rely on thousands of practices to etch experience into your body and form intuition.”

"I just used a different method, completing these thousands of simulations in my mind first."

The two stared at each other for more than ten seconds. This conversation added a layer of appreciation to their relationship, beyond that of a simple coach and student, highlighting their different learning styles.

[Anzi, you have to hold on! You have a wife and children!]

[Don't talk nonsense! Brother Lin is married! This is a pure teacher-student relationship!]

[Forget teacher-student relationships, what I see is sparks! Sparks of interaction!]

Isn't it normal for strong people to attract each other? You people have such filthy thoughts!

[Stop arguing, can't we just watch the live stream quietly? I just want to see Lin Shen keep showing off...]

Captain Mike listened quietly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes as he looked at the two equally outstanding young men before him.

Although he didn't quite understand the terms like "model" and "calculation," he knew that this young man was rapidly conquering the sport in a way that he couldn't comprehend but was incredibly powerful.

And her daughter seems to have met a peer who can keep up with her pace like never before.

After lunch, the afternoon session officially began – engine practice.

As Mike started the engine, he said seriously to Lin Yu-an and Raven, who was listening in, "Many people look down on engines and think that sailing should rely solely on the wind."

"That's foolish romanticism. In a crowded port, in calm weather, or in an emergency, this engine is your god! You have to know it well enough."

He explained in detail the engine starting procedure, warm-up time, and coolant drain check, and then handed the steering wheel to Lin Yu'an.

"Now, get it moving. Remember, a boat doesn't have brakes, it only has inertia. And it has a 'rudder effect' delay."

"When you turn the steering wheel, it takes a second or two to see the effect. You must learn to anticipate, not just react."

Lin Yu'an gripped the steering wheel, feeling the engine vibrations transmitted through the hull to his palm. He slowly pushed the throttle, and the ship began to leave the dock.

Raven didn't leave. Instead, she sat down with great interest in the observation seat next to the helmsman, a position that allowed her to clearly see Lin Yu'an's every move and micro-expression.

Under Mike's instructions, Lin Yu-an began practicing moving forward, backward, and S-shaped around cones.

After the shock of the morning, Mike was somewhat numb to Lin Yu'an's quick learning pace.

Lin Yu-an's strong sense of space and control skills came into play once again. After just a few repetitions, he was able to make the 24-foot sailboat perform quite precise maneuvers in the narrow waterway.

“Very good,” Mike was satisfied. He decided to skip some basic content and increase the difficulty.

"Now, here's something interesting. See those two buoys over there?"

"Sail the boat over there and make a 360-degree turn right between them, making sure neither the bow nor the stern touches the buoys."

This is a very skill-intensive maneuver that requires precise control of the throttle, rudder angle, and the ship's inertia.

[Is this the second stage of the waterborne driving test?! Is it time to put the boat into the storage area?]

This is much harder than backing into a parking space, isn't it? The water will flow!

Lin Yu'an tried twice. Once he almost crashed because he turned too sharply, and the other time he was swerved by the water flow because he didn't press the accelerator enough.

Although he failed, each of his adjustments brought him closer to success than the last.

Raven watched silently. She noticed that Lin Yu'an didn't immediately start a third attempt after failing the second time.

Instead, she closed her eyes, her fingers tracing patterns in the air as she muttered incantations. She knew this monster was once again engaged in his terrifying mental calculations.

Driven by curiosity, Raven kept walking towards Lin Yu'an, looking at his face.

A few seconds later, Lin Yu'an opened his eyes and turned to Mike: "Captain, let me confirm, the propeller of this ship is right-handed, right?"

Mike was taken aback, and before he could answer, Raven next to him couldn't help but laugh.

She was barefoot, casually sitting in the observation post next to the helmsman, the sunlight kissing her honey-colored skin without any obstruction, every inch of it seemingly glowing.

She moved closer to Lin Yu'an, and a faint scent of sunscreen wafted over her, accompanied by the heat.

"Oh? Our calculation master has finally discovered the ship's little secret?" Her voice carried a hint of teasing. "How did you know? Was it just a feeling again?"

Raven got very close, a distance that made it impossible for Lin Yu'an to avoid seeing her appearance at that moment.

He glanced at it subconsciously.

Her bikini was a simple tie-up style with very little fabric, perfectly outlining her powerful yet feminine curves.

Because she regularly engages in water sports such as windsurfing and swimming, she has no excess fat on her body.

On her flat stomach, two clearly visible abs cast beautiful shadows in the sunlight, extending downwards and disappearing at the edge of her swim trunks.

Her shoulders were rounded and strong, and her arms were covered with a thin layer of muscle, exuding a healthy beauty.

What's most striking is her skin, kissed by the sun to a honey color, firm and elastic.

As she leaned closer, Lin Yu'an could even see the deep and alluring curve of her skin, accentuated by the straps of her swimsuit.

This is a body meticulously sculpted by the sea and sunshine, brimming with wild confidence and vitality.

Lin Yu'an's strong self-control made him immediately look away.

Without making a sound, she stepped back slightly, creating the overly ambiguous distance between them. Her gaze returned to calm as she turned to Mike, as if the momentary lapse in concentration had never occurred.

“When the boat reverses, the stern will swing slightly to the left,” he answered Raven’s question in a flat tone. “I just observed the phenomenon.”

This subtle movement of creating distance made Raven's blue eyes flicker. Far from backing down because of the other party's distance, her smile deepened.

The live stream chat became lively because of this dramatic scene.

[Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! The camera zoomed in just now! Raven's figure is amazing!] [Nosebleed... my nosebleed... those abs! Those long legs! How can she be both cool and sexy?!]

[A tug-of-war! An extreme tug-of-war! Lin Shen was definitely tempted just now! He stepped back! He felt guilty!]

[Teacher Raven is relentlessly probing, while Anzi is fiercely defending! I declare this the most exciting part of the day!]

[@Aria, sister-in-law, our backyard is on fire! It's an emergency!]

[Stop joking upstairs! I believe Anzi! He's just appreciating beauty! Yes, just appreciating! Honest appreciation!]

Lin Yu-an continued, "When the boat is reversing, the stern will swing slightly to the left. But it won't when moving forward, so I guess this is due to the lateral force generated by the rotation of the propeller itself."

Raven's face showed undisguised admiration. She took over the conversation and decided to personally give this monstrous student and the viewers of the live stream an advanced lesson beyond the curriculum.

“Absolutely right! Lin, you’ve discovered a secret we call the ‘ship-reversing catapult effect’.”

She explained to the camera and Lin Yu-an, "You can think of a propeller as a wheel spinning in the water."

"When moving forward, the water flows over the rudder, so the direction is mainly controlled by the rudder. But when reversing, the water doesn't flow over the rudder, so the rudder is basically ineffective!"

"At this point, the 'torque' generated by the rotation of the propeller itself, like the friction of a wheel, will push the stern to move to the side."

“For our standard right-hand propeller boat,” she gestured with her hand, “when it reverses, it will forcefully ‘bounce’ the stern to the left.”

"Many beginners find this a big problem because boats don't go in a straight line. But for us, it's a skill we can exploit!"

“That’s right!” Mike added loudly, “Now that you know this, use it! Don’t just drive around in circles like a car, that’s a newbie’s way!”

"Try using the propeller's 'catapulting' motion, combined with the rudder and throttle!"

Under the expectant gazes of Mike and Raven, Lin Yu'an began his third attempt.

This time, his maneuver was full of confidence and purpose. He first aimed the bow at a buoy, then suddenly shifted into reverse and simultaneously turned the rudder fully to starboard.

Just as he expected, the rudder was almost useless when reversing, but the powerful reaction force of the propeller, like an invisible hand, suddenly "bounced" the stern to the left!
The ship began a counterintuitive spin, almost entirely around its midsection! Just as the stern was about to collide with another buoy...
He quickly shifted into forward gear, turned the rudder fully to the left, and used the rudder effect that had regained its high efficiency while moving forward to precisely counteract the inertia of rotation, bringing the boat to a steady stop in place!

The entire ship completed a near-perfect, drift-like turn in the narrow space between the two buoys!
[Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! I understand now! I finally understand this time!]

[Turns out it wasn't a steering wheel (rudder), but the propeller itself "swung" across! That's amazing!]

[Raven's explanation was excellent! Lin Shen learned so quickly! This duo is simply invincible!]

[I'm totally stunned! This is turning a bug into an amazing skill!]

Captain Mike opened his mouth, unable to utter a word for a long time.

“You little brat…” Mike pointed at Lin Yu’an, hesitated for a long time, and finally could only swear, “You’re a fucking unreasonable monster!”

Raven laughed at this moment, stood up and stretched, her abs under her bikini were even more clearly visible in the sunlight.

"Come on, Dad," he teased casually, "turning around on the spot is just an appetizer, right? It just makes you look cool, but in reality, we hardly ever use it."

She walked to the steering wheel, confidently took over the position, and her movements were swift and decisive.

“Turning around on the spot is cool, but it’s not practical enough.” She patted Lin Yu’an on the shoulder, then confidently walked towards the steering wheel with a crisp and clean movement.

"The real test is to precisely park the boat in a berth that is only slightly wider than the boat itself, even with crosswinds. Like that."

She pointed to an extremely narrow space on the dock, sandwiched between two expensive Bosing speedboats, their gleaming hulls seemingly mocking any newcomer who tried to approach.

"Raven, stop fooling around!" Mike immediately stopped her, his brows furrowed.

"I admit he's a genius, but even geniuses need to abide by the laws of physics! The crosswinds at the dock have 12 knots; this challenge is just too difficult!"

A wind speed of 12 knots (approximately 22 km/h) is classified as a Force 4 gentle wind, which is sufficient to generate significant thrust on the hull, making berthing extremely difficult.

“Dad, aren’t all geniuses adventurers?” Raven turned around, winked playfully at Lin Yu’an, her words brimming with powerful confidence.

"Is that right, Lin?"

She once again put the choice in Lin Yu'an's hands.

Lin Yu'an looked at the berth that seemed extremely challenging in the wind, and then at Raven's eyes, which were filled with "I believe you can do it" and "Give me a performance."

He didn't answer immediately, but first stabilized the boat in place before calmly speaking: "So, may I see a demonstration?"

Raven likes this answer!

She burst out laughing: "Of course! The coach is always the first one up. Watch closely, I only do it once."

After saying that, she began her performance.

Raven first positioned the bow of the boat to face the wind, forming an angle of approximately 30 degrees. Then, she engaged reverse gear and simultaneously turned the rudder fully to starboard.

Just as Lin Yu-an had previously utilized, the "reverse catapult effect" began to "boom" the stern to the left, while the crosswind blowing from the starboard side forcefully pushed the bow to the left.

“Look!” Raven’s voice was clear and calm. “Now, the engine’s ‘launching force’ and the wind’s ‘thrust’ are creating two opposing torques at the bow and stern!”

"They cancel each other out, causing the ship to stop spinning and instead..."

Under the watchful eyes of all the spectators, the entire sailboat, like a crab, began to move smoothly and almost perfectly to the left side!

"...walked sideways!"

Holy crap!!!

[Hey! You witch, what kind of sorcery is this?!]

[I'm totally stunned! This is a real female player! So cool!]

This is a million times more advanced than reverse parking! Teacher Raven is amazing!

Raven's movements were like those of a precise dancer; she controlled the speed and angle of lateral movement precisely by quickly shifting between forward and reverse gears (jogging) and finely adjusting the rudder angle.

Finally, when the boat was only centimeters away from the dock, she brought it to a steady stop, not a centimeter more or less.

The entire process was fluid and graceful, a perfect blend of strength and beauty.

She turned off the engine, turned around and looked at Lin Yu'an, who was deep in thought, and put on that challenging smile again.

"Alright, Mr. Genius, the stage is yours. Drive it out and bring it back intact."

"Raven!" Mike was frantic, like a cat on a hot tin roof. "If he steals those two Bosing ships, we won't be able to pay back the money by Christmas!"

“He better not get scratched.” Raven replied nonchalantly, her gaze fixed on Lin Yu’an, filled with unwavering trust and expectation.

Lin Yu'an looked at the almost impossible task, then at Raven's bright blue eyes.

He didn't immediately touch the steering wheel, but instead rapidly replayed and analyzed Raven's every move, every steering angle, and every throttle shift in his mind...

A moment later, he raised his head, his face showing no fear, but rather a look of eager excitement.

Lin Yu'an didn't immediately say "I'll try," but calmly asked, "I noticed that while you were using the reverse catapult to swing the stern to the left, there was a very short 'forward gear pulse.'"

"And the rudder is to the right, so that the lateral water flow from the propeller can impact the rudder surface, allowing for more precise control of the bow angle and countering strong gusts of wind, right?"

He not only learned it from watching, but he also began to analyze the underlying fluid dynamics principles in his mind and pointed out the most essential details of the entire operation!
This time, even Raven was speechless. Her smile froze, and she stared blankly at Lin Yu'an. After several seconds, she revealed a smile even brighter than the Florida sun.

"You completely understood! You absolutely understood!" She was so excited she almost jumped up. "That's the secret! My God, you're simply inhuman!"

Without any further hesitation, she stepped aside from the helmsman's seat and gestured for him to proceed.

“Come on, Captain Lin,” she addressed him for the first time, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement, “let me see what you’ve got!”

Mike could only wave his hand helplessly, then plopped down on the gunwale, pulled a cigar out of his pocket, only to find his hands shaking so badly he couldn't even hold the lighter.

Looking at the two equally crazy young men in front of him, he could only give up in the end, muttering to himself, "God... I need a shot of strong liquor."

Lin Yu'an walked to the helm, but instead of immediately steering the boat to the narrow berth like Raven had done, he first maneuvered the boat towards a relatively open area of ​​water nearby.

"What are you doing?" Mike couldn't help but ask.

(End of this chapter)