Originally posted by Science Dog:

Odin wills it.

The Truth(tm).

or...

This is the Way.

Originally posted by knighttemplar1960:

Winds do that. Real sail boats have to tack. Tacking works in game and its still faster than paddling. If you think that the game may be programmed to have foul winds when you start sailing, start out in the opposite direction from that which you wish to go, and see if the wind treats you any better .

Tacking really isn't worth it when just traveling from point A to B. Paddling is quite fast in this game and it will get you to your destination much faster. On top of that the game sometimes screws with you by changing wind direction just when you are about to turn after having gone at an angle for quite a while and then it will be directly against you in your new direction.
The only practical use of tacking is when you just want to cover more ground either to explore or to spawn serpents. Alternatively, to escape serpents.

Originally posted by FTZ35:

...
Tacking really isn't worth it when just traveling from point A to B.
...

Sounds like you're tacking too steep. Ideally you want it so the indicator is full white, not part grey.

It is the PMRNG implementation Iron Gate has invented.. (Perverse Mind Reading Number Generator).

PS: Learn to tack into the wind, that gives faster than oar movement. If the way is too narrow to tack (coastal/rivers) you probably shouldn't be going faster than oar speed to begin with.

The game procedurally generates troubles for you. It somehow detects what are you planning to do, and generates something to prevent or make harder. Get used to it, everything will be against you, at all times. Its the nature of this game, to screw you up and f you over at every step with worst things possible, quite often multiple times.

Confirmation bias

Originally posted by GhettoStabulous:

?

The gods are telling you to go a different way. Listen to them. ;)

Winds do that. Real sail boats have to tack. Tacking works in game and its still faster than paddling. If you think that the game may be programmed to have foul winds when you start sailing, start out in the opposite direction from that which you wish to go, and see if the wind treats you any better .

You pissed off Hræsvelgr.

Odin wills it.

It's rarely ever directly against you, and it it is , just use the paddle (lowest setting) for 2-3 minutes. I know it seems like forever , but it isn't.

Originally posted by Ryzilynt:

It's rarely ever directly against you, and it it is , just use the paddle (lowest setting) for 2-3 minutes. I know it seems like forever , but it isn't.

ive played this game over 200 hrs, id say more than 60% of the time, if you're solo the wind is directly or nearly directly against you

Most likely for the same reason the moment you want to dock that low breeze turns into a storm, making it quite hard to enter your docking area: SNG (aka Sadistic Number Generator)

Thorin :)

I am convinced it's the devs way of saying eff yuu, thanks for playing, but also to give meaning to Moder ability which is godlike when roaming the seas.