Fastest Sailboat on the Planet!

Check this out- absolute record over the nautical mile(beating Finian Maynard); 500meter record-look out windsurfers...
Hydroptere
Address:http://www.hydroptere.com/
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Remarkably, the boat uses ballast as does the surface piercing Spitfire from Australia-with one major difference-Hydropteres ballast is movable by varying the amount in each float. Each mini ama has an 800 liter capacity for water ballast; the mainhull can carry some ballast to aid in pitch control.

 

"Today, l’Hydroptère reached the record speed of 46.5 knots and, according to our measurement system, she beat the 500 meter distance record in her category as well as the absolute record for the nautical mile.

After a few training sessions spent on the adjustment of the boat, l'Hydroptère has now entered a new phase of "Performance" from the beginning of January.
The crew is now increasing the number of training sessions to define the best conditions and boat configuration to enable her to reach her first objective.

The first two records Alain Thébault and his crew would like to beat is the 500 meter record, held by Techniques Avancées with 42.12 knots and the Nautical mile record, held by Finian Maynard with 39.97 knots.

Today, during a training session, our measuring system recorded a run at 43.05 knots on 500 meters and 41.74 on one nautical mile which prove the reliability and potential of l'Hydroptère in the 5th version.

The completed improvements on the structure over the last nine months in the shipyard, plus the optimizations carried out since her launch, have made it possible to have a prototype technologically accomplished, with an incredible speed potential.

The speed peak recorded at 46.5 knots proves that the boat and her crew are ready to take up the challenge as soon as possible i.e. the absolute sailing speed record set at 48.7 knots on 500 meters.

Everything is being done to accelerate the certification of the speed reached before Port Haliguen, in Quiberon Bay, in order to make those first speed breaking records official for l’Hydroptère."

Great news Doug. Posting the peak speed rather than the record average speed is a bit misleading however, so I posted the whole article (just in case you could only read the first paragraph).

 

Hydroptere: 46.5 knots

Mr. Hough ,I'm surprised you didn't comment on the use of ballast by Hydroptere....

 

Doug, I'm a large fan of water ballast. If I buy a new boat, it will almost certainly have a water ballast system.

I think it is noteworthy that this boat has apparently (pending certification) broken the outright 1 mile record very early in it's development.

 

just heard about the news and it's great to see such a big vessel is able to go that fast.
truly impressive.

but it is quite easy to chuck a few numbers out and ordering them in a way that suits to create sensational statement...

the current record holder for the nautical mile is not Finian Maynard, but Bjorn Dunkerbeck. he set a new record with 41.14kn over the nautical mile in october in Namibia.
http://www.boardseekermag.com/event_reports/speed/record_attempt_namibia_2006.htm

as far as i know you can't claim "official" records afterwards.
you have to announce the attempt one or two months in advance to the WSSRC and have a WSSRC commissioner at the site.
i don't know if "normal" GPS data is enough for the nautical mile record. you might need a sophisticated Trimble GPS system like Macquarie Innovation is using or a video timed surveyed course.
you most certainly need that for the 500m record.

check out the effort of this kitesurfer in Germany.
Tilman Heinig has passed the 50kn mark several times now with an incredible peak of 52kn!!!
he even had a 100m run of 51.8kn and a 250m run at 49.7kn.
http://50knots.xs4all.nl/gps-kitesurfing/gps.asp?mnu=user&val=69&uid=4
his fastest 500m is now at 47.6kn
http://50knots.xs4all.nl/gps-kitesurfing/gps.asp?mnu=user&val=80&uid=4

the windsurfers are working continuously too to not loose the record anytime soon:
http://www.gps-speedsurfing.com
have a look at some of the sessions posted in the first month of this year under the 2007ranking at the top right.

keep pushing everyone
boogie

 

Verrrry Faaassst

Hey, Hydroptere is a cool piece of equipment, but all the World Speed records will fall to kiteboarders.

What is truly remarkable is that the kite dudes and dudesses do this with:

1.) Simple rigs
2.) No onboard, clanking ballast devices that require aux power batts or engines
3.) They don't need foils to free themselves from the restraints of surface contact
4.) No obtuse, sideswiping claims for planing
5.) Even, shall we say, Big Boys can do it by just sizing-up the kite at pre-launch. 'course.. it is rather physical, so there are built-in limits for who can actually take to the air.

and... (here's the best part)... the entire, brand new rig can be had for less than a seven year old Toyota Camry and can be checked as baggage on a plane bound for anywhere in the world with no hassle and no excess shipping fees.

Hey, it's only a matter of time; this surge for simplicity in high speed performance boat design.

Let the revolution continue

Oh, sorry Doug, you didn't have that phrase copyrighted or trademarked, did you? Perhaps something like "Viva la Kiteboard Revolucion!" would make things alright?

 

Hydroptere: 46.5Knots!

The Hydroptere story is one of the most inspirational in the annals of speed under sail-now on the 5th version-confronting failures of all kinds- yet sticking with it .And now starting to reap some benefits with real records and extraordinary performance. Congratulations to the team! And 55 is looking good.....

 

Doug.
a "real record" needs to be according to the rules of how to set records or they are not real records... just extraordinary performances.

i guess you have not really been closely involved in any speed sailing project that has gone past 40kn. otherwise you would never say that "55 is looking good" because of one peak speed of 46.5kn. every single knot faster after you have reached the 40kn mark is ten times more difficult to achieve and everything past 45kn another ten times harder than that. not talking peak speeds here, btw.

boogie

 

Hydroptere: 46.5 Knots

boogie, you're right that I haven't been involved with a speed sailing program thats gone over 40 knots(yet). But you're dead wrong in assuming that I don't know the difficulties facing any program-particularly foilers- in reaching 50,55 or more. That being said I'm convinced by lots of study and discussions on the subject that it can and will be done. If it can be done by a foiler the guys with the Hydroptere team will likely do it. They have exhibited a tenacious perserverence and have a technolgical think tank second to none.
Your apparent attempt to belittle the Hydroptere Team with your inuendo about "real records" is unfortunate in the face of the extraordinary efforts being made and results being obtained by these guys.

 

Dear Doug,

i'm not belittling the l'Hydroptere team in the slightest.
calling their recent achievements "truly impressive" and an "extraordinary performance" might be not sensationalist enough for you, but that's what it is for me.
i posted on the GPS-speedsurfing forum about them and i even posted in my speed design blog about them...

YOU are the one making the claims about real records being broken and 55kn looking good on this forum, not them.
are you trying to help their cause as much as you are helping the Moth Foilers?

ever heard the proverb: "understate and overdeliver" ?

Happy trolling.
regards
Boogie

 

Hydroptere: 46.5Knots!

boogie, have you even read the Hydroptere site?

 

YOU are the one making the claims about real records being broken and 55kn looking good on this forum, not them.

so i address you and not them. i can't post on their website.

better now?
boogie

 

Hydroptere 46.5 Knots!

So you haven't read their site? I guess you've chosen to ignore the facts..... Or is it just your way of "interpreting" the facts? Because the way I read it they're awaiting certification for two records-the nautical mile and 500 meter?
And they set some sort of record across the channel beating Bleriot's plane if I remember correctly.
Am I to understand that you don't think 50, 55 knots or faster is possible? Or is it just not possible with a foiler?

 

Yin and Yang

Let's see now... it's openly addressed that you have absolutely no direct experience with the issues of a very high speed foiling program... though you are convinced that it can be done.

In the very next breath, you totally hedge your boast by saying "if it can be done" and "will likely do it"

This comes across like, "Gee, honey you look great... It's just too bad your *** is so fat in those jeans"

He bequeaths and then he taketh away.

Perhaps it's a good thing that you aren't involved in a select program like this one at Hydroptere. It's tremendously distracting for folks operating at the higher end of any sport to hear the confusing mental position that this type of message represents. Think about how fun it would be to dump a comment like that in the locker room of the pre-Super Bowl Chicago Bears with all those huge dudes standing around in their jock straps?

Actually, I wouldn't even bother to make note of this if it weren't for the fact that you've been constantly blowing the horn of all things technical. Now, you are showing a crack in the facade of a guy who has serious doubts and those doubts are leaking out around the edges.

Boogie isn't the enemy, I'm not the enemy. You're just sending out mixed signals about your position and it looks like you're about to take your leave of the topic as a fervent supporter of all things foil borne. Or, is it that you just want to have an out clause in the commitment just in case they don't get there?

Perhaps you could clarify your position?

 

Doug,
i have read their site and it's not that convincing that they have done their homework what it takes to ratify an official record over 500m and 1NM.
but i could of course be wrong. wouldn't be the first time... ;-)

they don't even know the current record for the nautical mile and had their WSSRC commisioner there on a training session???????

i have also read this:
http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/rulesbook/course1.html
and this
http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/rulesbook/coursemile1.html

and under point 5.

i have sailed two european champs [470+505] in Quiberon and i think it'll be hard to find a place there to meet that requirement. not impossible, but difficult.



is this enough of an explanation, Doug?
of course not! because Doug Lord has all the signs of.....



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over and out from
boogie