Team Seacats

The foil born trimaran, Hydroptere (which means “marine wing” in Greek) breaks 45 knots over a 500 meter course according to their own team’s measurement system.  They also set some sort of record for a nautical mile but they didn’t specify any details.  They’re obviously hungry for the outright sailing speed record of 48.7 knots over 500 meters as set by Finian Maynard on a sailboard in a purposely built trench in France.  The Hydroptere team reports to have stepped up their training program to do so.  Note however, for a real ratified record, they’ll have to perform the feat according to the rules set forth by the WSSRC.

As far as speed demons go in this sport, Hydroptere is a bit unique.  Unlike most in her class, not only can she handle real ocean waves, she’s been around for a long while and she’s been slowly pushed and slowly improved over the course of many years.  I only recall them having a few setbacks – one of them when they collided with something under the water while attempting a distance race.  Hydroptere has two large tapered foils that extend down from each outer ama and allow the hulls of the boat to become completely airborn at speed thereby largely reducing drag and greatly increasing the speed potential of the boat.  Many problems face foiling boats.  The largest of which are balance of the unpredictable sailpower loads, waves, and potential for cavitation of the foils at high speeds (the foil immediately looses lift when this happens!).  In this case, because of the tapered construction, as the foils lift higher and higher out of the water, less of the foil is actually providing lift.  However, more foil in the water provides more stability but also gives more drag so the secret to success is to figure out how to balance the lift vs. drag and still be able to control the thing.  They’ve worked out a solution where they can change this balance point by changing the angle of the foil from it’s hinge point on the ama.  Apparently it works.

Read more at http://www.hydroptere.com and watch a video HERE.  Thanks to our Australian friend, Stephen Medwell, for pointing this feat out over at Catsailor.