50.26

[BWD]

FYI, the bar has been set officially (pending ratification):

-from http://www.luderitz-speed.com/ -

Friday at the Lüderitz Speed Challenge, with a new world record, and the magic 50 knot barrier broken by Sebastien Cattelan of France with a blistering run of 50.26 knots (93kph). The new record is still subject to ratification by a sitting of the World Speed Sailing Records Council.

In the 35 to 40 knot winds that blew today, gusting to more than 45 knots (83kph), the speed sailors braved very rough water conditions to achieve these records speeds, with numerous runs by top sailors of over 49 knots. Several new outright records were set:

• Sebastien Cattelan 50.26 knots – new world outright speed sailing record, and the first person to break the magic “50 knot” barrier sponsored by Genetrix kites, xelerator boards.....

...
Saturday promises even stronger winds, with a new milestone ahead of the competitors – the psychological barriers of 60mph and then 100kph. ...

[Fanie]

That is fast. Barefoot or ...

So what's the problems with our boats ? Too much luggage or the sails too small ?

[BWD]

Yeah, I think the difficulty is the boats we are used to are so big -no wonder they are slower. You could fit dozens of these in your car..

[Chris Ostlind]

I think they could be even faster if they smoothed-over all that crap around the chicken loop, the control bar and the outfits that these guys are wearing.

Virtually every really serious speed run is done in one direction only, so they could have suits fabbed that minimize the drag signature from that direction of wind. I'll bet that if they could do away with that flapping junk all around the control bar and lines, the foot straps, the off side edge of the board, the loose hair, Irie beads, oddly lumpy pfd's crammed under their rash guard tops... just the whole enchilada, you'd see even higher speeds.

If trick helmets and fully aero bike frames work for Armstrong's times, then these guys could see huge benefits.

Chris
www.lundadesign.com

[Fanie]

I was right, that guy is barefoot in his shoes

Chris, I think a fearing of sorts to improve aerodynimics could make a sustantial difference. The human shape never was very suited for high speed as it is. Biggest handycap is probably the baggy pants they wear nowadays. There's realy not much in there in any case and it doesn't increase the kite's wind area either