HYDROPTER CAPZISES @ 55knts

[Erwan]

"Le Figaro" Paris 12h01
L'Hydroptère a chaviré à 55 noeuds
AFP
21/12/2008 | Mise à jour : 12:01 | Ajouter à ma sélection .
L'Hydroptère, trimaran à foils, a chaviré aujourd'hui au large de Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (Bouches-du-Rhône) où il tentait de battre le record de vitesse absolue à la voile.
L'équipage, composé de neuf personnes, est sain et sauf et les opérations de remorquage étaient en cours en fin de matinée.
L'Hydoptère a chaviré puis s'est retourné à environ 400 m de la côte, le mât et les foils, sorte d'ailes sur lequel le trimaran flotte au-dessus de la mer, se retrouvant sous l'eau.
Causée par la houle puis une rafale de vent, l'avarie s'est produite alors que l'Hydroptère atteignait 55 noeuds. Stabilisée sur 500 m, cette vitesse aurait constitué le record du monde à la voile.
Le record est actuellement détenu par le Français Alexandre Caizergues qui a atteint une vitesse constante de 50,57 noeuds sur 500 mètres avec son kitesurf en Namibie le 5 octobre.

In English: Hydroptere capsized when he was reaching 55knts at 400 m from the coast.

Swell and gust triggered the capzise

Erwan, thanks for the breaking news! Was anyone hurt? Did she get the 500 meter record? Over on SA they say she peaked out at about 61knots!

[Gary Baigent]

Well, Doug, l'hydroptere is now THE fastest boat, craft, sledge, water born board, ski, contraption, whatever. But obviously extremely savage conditions to turn that wide tri over, must have pitchpoled.

[Boston]

L' Hydrofoil, trimaran with foils, capsized today off Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (Rhone delta) where it tried to beat the absolute speed record, ( with the veil ?). The crew, composed of nine people, is healthy and towing operations were in hand at the end of the morning. The Hydoptère capsized then turned over approximately 400 m of the coast, the mast and the hydrofoils, a kind of wings on which the trimaran floats above the sea,

next part translates

finding itself under l' water. Caused by the swell then a gust of wind, l' s' damages; is produced whereas l' Hydrofoil reached 55 nodes. Stabilized on 500 m, this speed would have constituted the world records with the veil.

( in cleaning it up I may incorrectly change the meaning so Ill just print the literal translation )

The record is currently held by the French Alexandre Caizergues who reached a constant speed of 50,57 nodes ( knots ) out of 500 meters with his kitesurf in Namibia on October 5.

very glad everyone is ok
and congrats on the spead
now lets hope the boat is ok
best
B

[ancient kayaker]

You have the sense of it: just for info:

a la voile - by sail (lit: with the veil)

There are some links at http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/mul...eed-15612.html

[Boston]

ah thank you
actually french was my first language
course ive forgotten most of it

[Erwan]

Hi Boston,

Your translation is very good, myself, I undestand better your English text than the original French one: It suggests that the boat is capsized with the mast and the foil under the water: a journalist mistake I guess.

"à la voile" is usually opposed to " au moteur" it just means the boat was using its sails.

Doug: Nobody was hurt and she didn't achieve that speed for 500m

Personnal remark: Compared to kite, we should consider the" Marginal efficiency of this complexity"

[Boston]

thank you Erwin
its been a long time since I have used my French and I miss it
really glad everyone is ok
I bet the copter crew was having a heart attach
best B

[ancient kayaker]

Originally Posted by Boston

ah thank you
actually french was my first language
course ive forgotten most of it

Tell me about it; mine was Welsh.

[ancient kayaker]

Originally Posted by Erwan

Hi Boston,

"... Compared to kite, we should consider the" Marginal efficiency of this complexity ..."

That's like comparing a fighter plane with a jetliner. These are really different events: L'hydroptere is unquestionably a boat, carries ballast, a crew, cargo maybe, a kiteboard is more of an athletic event.

[Boston]

English sucks

[keith66]

I would give my left ball for a ride on that boat, hope she aint bust up too bad!

[Erwan]

You might lost your right's one in a wild ride ending in a crash
It could embarrassing no ?

[Chris Ostlind]

Originally Posted by ancient kayaker

... L'hydroptere is unquestionably a boat, carries ballast, a crew, cargo maybe, a kiteboard is more of an athletic event.

And in what sense of analysis do you not see that a Kiteboarder has all the same attributes as you describe for Hydrop?

Ballast... the guy on the hull just like a skiff
Crew..... The same guy
Cargo.... You've never seen the kiters wearing backpacks, have you?

I suggest that they are both athletic events. I'm sure that a very cursory query with the guys who were on Hydrop when it dumped itself would attest to the raw athleticism of the experience.

If one were to open their intake vent just a bit and look at kiteboarding as the ultimate minimalist sailing sport available, much like ultra-light back packing is to a trail horse supported hiking trip, then the clarity of the potential begins to show itself.

What's the most remarkable thing about hearing these comparisons in which Hydrop is hailed as a boat, while kiters are only athletically winging it and have no resemblance to a boat...?

The same kinds of near derogatory statements came flooding out of the mouths of skiers when snowboarders first appeared on the mountains. Now, the resort slopes around the world, save for a very few idolatry driven holdouts, are all encouraging snowboarders to come to their mountain.

This... "boat, not a boat" thing is a waay colorful red herring to dangle before the yacht club denizens as they pimp their way through another really physical sailing season. ;-)

[Boston]

of course they are both athletes
I think they have a lot more in common than not
funny thing is to read you guys going at each other over something you all clearly hold dear

if you do ever actually race the guys on the rail of Hydroptersaurus could try firing a few water balloons and maybe take out the competition that way