What you are talking about is called tacking. You sail perpendicular to the wind when its blowing from the direction you want to travel.

I've done the testing and the math. The wind can blow from a speed of 1 to a speed of 10.

When you are on a raft, tacking is always faster than paddling when the wind speed is higher than speed 1.

When you are on a karve tacking is the same speed as paddling at wind speed 3 and faster at any wind speed higher than 3.

When you are sailing the long boat tacking is ALWAYS faster than paddling no matter what the wind speed is.