Fastest Sailboat on the Planet!

[Doug Lord]

While kites and boards are fun ways to go fast Hydroptere established her absolute speed record in winds of 25 gusting to 28 knots! That is efficiency that no board or kite can match......51.38 in 25 is TWO TIMES WIND SPEED!

[Chris Ostlind]

Originally Posted by Gary Baigent

Hey Christopher, you've got admit, notwithstanding your feud with Doug (who can be at times insufferable, yes) that is a Fargo trucking amazing bit of speed sailing from the Hydroptere team. Say it through gritted teeth, my man - but you have to say it -foils are more than okay. Cheers.

Yes, Gary, I do gotta admit that the Hydrop is a pretty farkin' cool ride. Sometimes I just have to poke holes in the big old hot air balloon as it flies past the beach where I'm sailing. Call it twelve year old pranksterism, if you will.

As for foils... well, they've never been on the dunnage list as a function without an application. I flat-out loved watching Bora Gulari go toe to toe with Nathan Outteridge in the recent Moth World's, for example, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the times I have veen able to sail a Trifoiler and a Rave. Like any specialized, niche element within the sailing world, they have their place. No need to go into it any further than that, as it's now been well hashed.

The part of all this business between the kiters and the Hydrop team is really about the grand disparity of the total amount of cash that has been expended to get to this point in time. As in... Millions of Euro's piled up against only a few thousand. I gotta admit that more than once I had a sneaky suspicion that Hydroptere was really a shadowy government entity with a giant black project funding mechanism. ;-) Something like a rich dude's Death Star.

The kite guys, by comparison, were out there on something like one of my typical surf trips to Mexico with my old friends. An adventure where we lived on the cheap, ate street vendor taco meals and got by on clever timing and a desire to find the best waves. Something like a rattling Rebel X-Fighter.

It's more than interesting that such a chasm brought them both to the same place.

[TTS]

Congrats to the whole Hydroptere team. They have truly put in the time, effort and research to make this happen. Cudos to them!

[TTS]

Originally Posted by Jameswright4

Doug

I own Larinka, (enter into Google nd images will appaear) the last of the Walker Wingsails and now intend building a much larger multihull but want speed as well as comfort. I am therefore reluctantly seling Larinka for since our complete redesign of the control systems and equipment adopted on board need something more suitable for our needs. I intend building one down in the Philippines where I have development interests but your knowledge would be useful in adpoting a rig. ? I had intended placing two fixed wings with curavature but no tail as we have currently and no moveable flaps as we have. The method of propulsion we currnetly have and the simple controls we have adopted work perfectly but the boat is too heavy as designed and built and at 15 tons we cvan get 14 knots from her in a good wind. In light winds she is useless and performs as a monohull ref speed.

Any ideas. I fllowed Richard Jenkins attempts a few years ago and spoke to him for there was interest in how larinka worded at the very outset of building the land craft for his team .As I am now ready to investigate and then build something would appreciate feedback or thoughts. James Wright

You might also try Ben Hall at Hall Spars and dave Hubbard who helped him design his first wing for his A-cat. Fred Eaton who won the last I4C is also a great wealth of information. As for Steve, he is a member of this and many other sailing sites and he definately is one of the leading lights in this field. I do not know him personnally, but he has responded to some of my questions in the past with full knowledge about what he speaks. Good luck with your project. One other name does come to mind and that is Pete Melvin of Morelli & Melvin.

[Jameswright4]

Thanks very much and for the quick reply.....the quest begins and will make contact with those suggested ! James

[Chris Ostlind]

Originally Posted by Doug Lord

...That is efficiency that no board or kite can match......51.38 in 25 is TWO TIMES WIND SPEED!

And that's where you and the vast majority of the sailors in this world diverge, Doug. Virtually nobody has the kind of cash that has been spent on L'Hydroptere. You can pull whatever self determined important bit of data from any pile of numbers you want.

In the end, the world will only watch Hydrop from a distance while a goodly portion of them rush down to the Kite Shop to spend their $5K of barely disposable income, thinking of the possible thrills that have been exhibited by Alex C.

In a global economy that is in as much trouble as is this one, which format do you think is the best use of one's money? Go back to your pile of numbers and conjure a solution in which the many millions of Hydrop Bucks equates to something... anything of value to the average sailor.

You know, the guy who reads these Forum postings and dreams of being on the water when he is able to get some cash in his hand.

If you were really into this on behalf of the typical sailing guy, you'd be honestly producing thrill per dollar ratios that make sense instead of worshipping the Gods of Unobtanium.

Take your time... we'll still be here.

[ancient kayaker]

Oh dear, the feud rears its ugly head once more. It was nice for a while. Time to unsubscribe again.

[Boston]

I can hear George Berns now saying
"now that's, entertainment"

and waving a cigar

[Doug Lord]

Hydroptere,today, did 40 knots in 15 knots of wind-an amazing 2.67 times wind speed! News Flash (french site only) Records ratified!!!! www.hydroptere.com

[offshoreguy]

Congratulations! I would like see it in a race.

I see too much water movement, and the hull over the water seems to be heavy, it seems that there is still a lot of work to improve the design, so perhaps new records can be acomplished.

Do you think the system could be used in a safe way in commercial cruisers?

I said that because they go at about 20 knots that is higher than usual wind for classic design, but now things seems to be different !

[Get Wet]

They also did it with a bermuda style sail rig... a jib and main. Obviously it's been tech'd out with a carbon wing mast ect, but it seems that sheer power and low hull drag has won out over double surface wing sails for the time being.

[Doug Lord]

Thanks Jeff for updating this thread and the Moth thread with the new record/speeds!

[Doug Lord]

Thanks to Gary for calling my attention to this: Hydroptere just did 50.17 knots over a nautical mile! Incredible!

[bad dog]

Anyone remember two brothers who flew an ungainly overgrown box kite for a few dozen meters? Look where that ended up. Hydroptere may not be the practical boat for all purposes, but it is adding enormously to our pool of knowledge and experience.

Before our kids have put their kids through school, we are going to see large commercial craft using wind power again, but high tech, picking up queues from all of these kind of cutting edge boats. Like F1 race cars gave us disc brakes etc, these things will trickle through.

[bad dog]

Oops - that should read 'picking up cues' not 'queues'! ...that would involve standing round waiting for something to happen. Fruedian slip: when you say one thing and mean your mother.