Fastest Sailboat on the Planet!

[brian eiland]

Exciting things still continue to happen in the sailing world, and many of them from France. Best of luck to them

[Meanz Beanz]

It was reported that MONITOR attained speed to true wind speed ratios of just over 2.0, and at times unofficial boat speed measurements close to 40 knots were observed

http://www.foils.org/monitor.htm

WOW that last 10 knots is proving expensive!

What an amazing old beast!

MBz

[antoineb]

The speed base will only be officialised by a WSSRC on June 15th, and in the meantime they're playing w the boat when conditions allow. So far they've had either a bit too much wind for tuning (35 knots) so they went out just three times and stayed in protected areas, and now there's a bit too little forecast.

The good news is that the boat still flies, that there seems to be (much) less water projections from the foils, especially the rudder foil, suggesting more efficient design.

No detailed speed data available, they only said they have "validated the 35 knot step". I like the progressive, prudent approach. And let's see what they achieve in June.

[Chris Ostlind]

Originally Posted by antoineb

The speed base will only be officialised by a WSSRC on June 15th...

What do you mean by this, Antoine? Is it that there will be be officials present only on that date? Man, that seems frightfully restrictive.

So, what have the guys done...? Set-up an officially recognized course with the proper timing equipment that has been certified by the sanctioning body? Having someone on hand to stipulate that the boat has, in fact, run the designated course within the timing equipment's limits?

From your knowledge, how will this go?

[antoineb]

Hello Chris,

well I'm not the expert here, my superficial knowledge is based on description of such matters from various sites, including Hydroptere's and WSSRC's.

as far as I understand, WSSRC is ok to validate speed records established w/o the presence of one of their experts, provided:

- the course was validated on site by one of their experts. This includes validation of either (a) current below 1kn, and (b) current measurements professional and precise enough (for example in their records from 2007, Hydroptere and the French sea research institute Ifremer measure current over the course in real-time)

- the GPS equipment, both on the boat on on the ground, was validated by their experts. Among other things it needs to be high-precision gear, as the amateur gear typically capable of +/-5% error (or distance of say +/- 20 metres) wouldn't really be up to the task


Again, I'm not quite clear about whether the expert needs to be present at all times. Recent additions to the WSSRC's officiel texts suggest that this must indeed be the case.


Let's meet again when they "validate" thee 40 knots, and then the 45 knots, both instant speed, and see how they sound.

cheers

[antoineb]

- yes it was a great effort, well done the pioneers!

- officially recorded speed was just over 30 knots, and we're not sure about the measurement conditions either (fixed marks?, ground reference?, time of timer used?, just in reference to another boat?). At 30 knots air resistance becomes quite measurable and w old-style sails and all, I think 30 knots is the max credible speed I can imagine for that craft, in 20-25 knots of wind.

- "close to 40 knots" I simply do not believe at all. But 30 knots remains a great achievement

- which leaves us with, as was said, many years (about 50 now!) to have gained a littler over 15 knots (taking Yellow Pages as the reference). Makes perfect sense to me, I mean as one approaches various physical limits, progress becomes slower - until one potentially breaks it. What we've seen over the years, are (1) air resistance becoming material (for anything over 30-35 knots) leading to the construction of more aerodynamic crafts, and (2) foils suffering from hypercavitation (which is probably why Techniques Avancees early 90's didn't get much above 42 knots despite a very clean design).
But the physical limits remain: how much progress has there been on top speed of commercial airplanes since the late 60's? None. How much progress on top speed of all airplanes excluding rocket engines? No progress since the SR-71 (first flight 1964, top speed 2193mph=3'530km/h). How much progress on the speed of rocket-engine-powered aircraft? The X-15 flew at 4'519mph (7'270kmh) back in 1967, whereas SpaceShipOne achieved "just" over Mach 3 (2350mph / 3785km/h). Sure there's been the scramjet prototype hitting 6600mph but didn't survive it.

Anyway, my point is there are many instances where once the physical limits have been reached, well, either someone comes up with a great new way of beating them (foiler Moth, hypercavitating Russian torpedo doing 400mph), or, they stay and subsequent progress will be very marginal.


- what Hydroptere's research team at EPFL, and Wotrocket research team, are telling us, is there doesn't seem to be a good physical reason why one shouldn't be able to go over 50 knots.

I'll bet Hydroptere does it. Good luck,guys!

From Scuttlebutt today:
"After validation at 35 knots of the high speed foiling trimaran, the
'Hydroptère team decided to do a complete verification of the boat and an
analysis of all data recorded while sailing before further pursuing the 50
knot speed barrier. In order to get even more accurate measurements, load
pins are being installed in the winches to measure the strain recorded by
the mainsheet traveller's winches and to know the stress exerted on the
sails. Additional video cameras are also being installed on the mast.
Following this, the team will move to Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône to begin
speed trials." -- http://www.hydroptere.com

[antoineb]

The plan is unchaged, ie on Sunday 15th they'll have an official from the WSSRC present, and after the speed base is agreed (hopefully), they expect to start doing some real runs, with reliable and official speed measurements, wind allowing of course.

Here is the boat with its new high speed rig:
Click for larger image....

[antoineb]

They've done 46.8 knots (instant speed) on Sunday 15th as they were training. I assume they have had their speed based officialised as planened (though their site doesn't say anything about it so far).

I'm tempted to say that 46.8, as they were simply validating the speed levels w the engineers (30, 35, 40, 45), sounds good. It suggests that there's better in store for when they'll try for real. And it's very close to the top instant speed achieved by the previous version of the craft.

At the same time, I'd have felt even more confident if they had simply said "we've validated 45 knots w a margin" ;-)


At the end of the day, they state that they "remain confident". I continue to think, as I've written before, that based on the data they've shared on just the aerodynamic improvements made, it seems highly probable that they can reach 50 on a top-speed, instant basis. Whether they can achieve this over 500m, or whether they can do say "only" 45 over a nautical mile, we've got to wait and see. Keep fingers crossed, and they certainly deserve it.

[Chris Ostlind]

As usual, Antoine, your reportage is full of interesting information with just a soft touch of your personal opinions for a very nice humanizing of the story.

Boating events such as this one make me wish for a European Holiday style summer with my wife in which I could take in the Mediterranean days at a comfortable pace while staying tuned for each attempt.

You have managed, once again, to get me there in style.

Chris

[Richard Atkin]

I hope they will be satisfied with 50 knots. It would be tragic if they start working hard on higher goals the very next day. Some people work too damn hard
When they crack the 50 knot barrier, the boat should be strengthened and used as a rental fun parlour for tourists. Bring your waterskis.

[antoineb]

They're in the process of getting the "speed base" certified, in the presence of a WSSRC official who's training a local person to become certified as well, at least on that speed base.

Judging by the latest shot on their front page, during a testing for fun (as opposed to vs. certified timing ;-) fairly flat water and the craft seems to be going nicely fast. Now whether that's "just" 45-46 knots, or a bit better, or a good deal better, no one knows.

But surely if the old craft w a 10% higher aerodynamic drag (and likely also higher hydrodynamic drag), and less efficient rigging (the new mast is 1.8m or 6ft front to back), and rapidly diminishing foild lift above 45 knots due to hypercavitation, could peak at 47.6 knots in some waves, then there would seem to be many good reasons why the new craft should go a good deal faster in waves. And even a bit faster in flat waters. How much faster, we don't have the data on drag, and air resistance still increases w the square of the velocity. But at least 50 knots.

But again, 50 top speed is far from good enough, I mean to have any serious hope of achieving 50 over 500 meters (so in just 20 seconds!), you probably need to have a top instant speed of 52-53 knots.

The plan is to have the speed base certified by end of this week, so if the wind allows they'll start to do speed runs "for real" from the week after?


I like the waterski idea, and Bourgnon on the "Brossard" ORMA 60 trimaran, had already pulled a couple wakeboarders. But it was around "just" 25-30 knots, and based on my modest experience I wouldn't dare to try waterskiing at 50 knots ;-)

[brian eiland]

19 June 2008...Scuttlebutt

Two countries, two hemispheres, two objectives...one victor

Two countries in opposing hemispheres are now vying to be the first to break the current world speed sailing record, and crack the holy grail of 50 knots, regarded as the equivalent to the aeronautical sound barrier.

“No one remembers the second man to walk on the moon,” says Sean Langman, the creator and pilot of the radical purpose-built Australian 9m sail boat/sail plane called Wot Rocket who is acutely aware of the “race against the French to the 50”, and the possibility they could snatch his boyhood dream clean away.

Wot Rocket’s 500m world speed sailing record attempt was forced to shift gears following the launch of the French flying trimaran l’Hydroptere on 22 May.

“I want to go official now because the French have. Everything’s been stamped urgent,” admits Langman.

He is currently awaiting advice from the World Sailing Speed Record Council on whether a Trimble GPS receiver can officially record Wot Rocket’s speed. This would negate the need to have an official timekeeper on the course each time Wot Rocket heads out to attempt to beat French sail boarder Antoine Albeau’s fastest time over 500m of 49.09 knots (90.9 kph), and break through the magic 50 knot milestone.

Last Saturday l’Hydroptere clocked 46.8 knots according to their web site, Langman admitting the “brutish French design can probably be pushed harder, but I believe we have the ability to go faster” he says.

In the past few weeks, Wot Rocket has undergone further refinements following three more sea trials on Botany Bay, the stretch of flat water where the official attempt will eventually take place.

The latest test sail, conducted yesterday, saw the entire project team including designer Andy Dovell on site for the first time. While the 8-12 knot forecast breeze failed to materialise at the upper end, “it was good to get the program back on track following a number of setbacks,” said Langman today.

“We have suffered some issues with our control systems and have spent more than 300 hours further modifying the design. It’s really been a process of elimination”.

Yesterday also marked the first successful trial of a newly built wing extension.

“Because the rules state we have to have a standing start, we plan to initially use the wing extension for more horsepower to get the pod free of the water. Then, once we reach 30 knots of speed we shall fire off the top wing section,” explains Langman.

This staged approach is where the ‘Rocket’ name originated, Langman likening Wot Rocket’s take off to a Saturn V rocket, which jettisons parts as it races out of the earth’s gravitational pull.

Once the Trimble GPS is installed, likely to be this weekend, and the Wot Rocket project team is given the green light by the Speed Council to record its own speed, a notice of intention to make a record attempt will be lodged with the Council.

From that point onwards, each sail will be regarded as an official attempt on the current world record.

“There is no time to waste. The French launching has definitely moved our plans along,” co-pilot Martin Thompson added.

The official website for Wot Rocket is now live: www.wotrocket.com