Fastest Sailboat on the Planet!

Actually I support both as being the fantastic advancements they are. Each has its place and each is working wonders with what they have to play with. The surface pressures experienced by Hydropers foils are not really that much of an issue as a simple change of materials will resolve any cavitation problems. That and there is a non linear relationship between the effort of the foils and the ground effects already mentioned. How that will play out is anyone's guess without some direct experimentation but the system is up and running and apparently they are already working on several more advanced boats, oh and yes, I believe we will see a 100 knot speed record eventually. Kite or a Hydropter prodigy either would be a fantastic achievement

cheers
B

 

Agreed. There can only be one and for now it is an American Kitesailor!!!

 

Hydroptere-Fastest Sailboat on the Planet!

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Do you have a link that verifies this statement? I follow all this quite closely and I have never seen this anywhere.
While I finally came around to kites "sailing" ,no one has ever -at any time-convinced me that a kiteboard is a "boat"(ridiculous on its face) or that the combo of kite+board is a "sailboat".
The fact that Hydroptere set both her world records with about 10 people on board is phenominal and only magnifies the achievement.
Every admirer of Hydroptere congratulated the achievement of the kite boarders-as did Team Hydroptere and me. But to say that the two achievements are in any way comparable is nonsense, in my opinion.

 

So what dictates the physical limit of a kiter? or better yet when does this limit the kiters speed?? 70kts maybe? As it stands Hydropetere will have some very real physical limits as well.... drag and mass. Just think, kites are doing 1.2x wind speed in 40kts of wind with relatively crude equipment, as efficiency increases, and it will, the terminal speeds will increase

 

interesting statement. The "as it stands" comment particularly so. This is my point exactly, "as it stands" will constantly change in regards to Hydropter and its prodigy's mechanical limitations, however this is not the case with the kiters. There limitations are fixed as the human form is unlikely to suddenly adapt as fast as a mechanical construct will. This is the crux of my point and what some posters are failing to comprehend. The race might be on and your horse might be out front but in the end there is no race and there can only be one outcome. Years ago farmers gathered and pitted there draft animals against the new steam tractor, the outcome was equally as inevitable.
while I agree that the terminal speed of a kiter has yet to be reached it must be realized that the physical limitations of a mechanical system which includes a human link is obvious. Yet the physical limitations of a system which does not is boundless.

the eventual outcome is not in question although the realization of this concept is obviously difficult for some to comprehend

whats funny is you guys think i'm dissing the achievements of the kiters when in fact I have congratulated them numerous times.

its a simple case of some few just itching so badly for a fight that your deaf as well as
well
I wouldn't want to aggravate anybody by completing that last

cheers again and have a great night people
B

 

Doug-

Here is the link: http://nassp.net/nassp/?paged=3 about half way down the page

Free your mind and your opinions will follow!!!!

ISAF ruled that kites are sailboats. It is also unfortunate for your argument that passangers dont have anything to do with an outright world speed sailing record. So until you convince ISAF and the WSSRC otherwise, kites will continue to considered the fastest sailboats on the face of the earth. Sorry! Now go wave the American flag around and forget about Hydroptere for a while. ......you might enjoy it??

 

Hydroptere-Fastest Sailboat on the Planet!

(post 271)
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This really says it all-the efficiency of the big foiler outstripped what kites or boards could do at the time she set her record. This should be taken into account in any result, in my opinion- because it is a measure of aero and hydrodynamic excellence.

Apparently, "Blue Leader" is right assuming the website he quotes in post 411 is accurate. That is some improvement!

 

We can all tweak unofficial rules to ensure that our favourite speedsailors win. Its a relatively pointless game if your rules don't match any one elses but the internet is free for anyone to voice their opinion.

If your rule is simply multiples of windspeed then here is your new world champion.

How much wind is there in a glassy calm? 0.5kts. Boardspeed estimated 10kts.

WOW a 20 x multiple of windspeed! Time to re-jig your arbitrary preferences again to secure the sought after result.

http://vimeo.com/groups/312/videos/16660808

Yes - of course there is more wind where the kite is. I just wanted to point out how arbitrary discussion that doesn't refer back to the rules of speed sailing as they stand is. I feel Hydroptere is an awesome boat by the way. The fact that it doesn't hold the highest record doesn't take away from its impressive speed and achievements.

 

Same old, same old ...

Some kiter breaks a record and all the pro-kiter sites are full of jeering at the larger boat that did that same thing a while back. Yet on l'hydroptere's site there are sincere congratulations and expressions of respect. Seems like the bigger boat has bigger people. Pity that 2 such great human endevours have to be subject to such bickering.

 

hey you bunch of turkeys, why not forget the fargo trucking, cheating, too short trench and say, have the mother fargo trucking course in the open sea, or large bay, or coastline - that would put the foilers and kiters on an equal basis. One more thing: Hydroptere is nowhere near the highest development of WIG effect, nor does the big foiler have a decent rig. A new WIG foiler with hard sail wing (and it could be a much smaller boat) in such a design configuration, more bird than fish, WILL DO 100 knots or even more. This is where the future lies for ultimate speed sailing. The kiters will NEVER get near that performanance. Stop BS'ing yourself, Chris.

 

Hey Gary-

If wishes were horses beggers would ride.......until then Kites are the fastest!!! Sorry.

Dont hate the player, hate the game!!!!

 

hey blue smoke goes drifting by, I've never denied the boarders have the record - just that it's kindof ..... a cheat. Put the mothers in the open sea.

 

Now kiters are cheaters.........nice! Bring the boats in a little closer to the beach

 

I do know exactly what you mean, or are implying at least. However I am not totally convinced that you understand how a kitesufring kite is actually used, yes there is a physical aspect to it but this is primarily the top of the thighs.... I imagine that if/when this does become some sort of limiting factor someone will come up with a board design were the kite is attached directly, possibly followed by kites with a thinner more rigid leading edge, maybe then dropping to 2 lines from 4, from there the boards will grow funny lifting foils that seem to work the wrong way as the riders become encapsulated in low drag pods. Interestingly through this evolution it is likely that all of the forces transmitted to the rider will diminish.

 

Where do we put the anti-chop fence?

Record runs in a man made ditch protected by a fence? How about records in water that all types of vessels can sail in? Make it an apples to apples comparison at least. Is it that the kiters can't compete in the same conditions that other records are sailed in? So they change the course, claim records and neglect to mention that the conditions are artificial? Not breaking the rules, so not "cheating" ... under the rules anyone could build their own speed course. Kites are fast in a ditch ... wow.