The fact is that a kite is not a sail and a kiteboard is not a boat.
Perhaps you could tell us, then, just what characteristics of the kite would keep it from being regarded as a sail?
Me, personally... I see a foil shaped form that catches and makes power from the wind. I see control lines to further shape and direct the form for the optimal incidence to the wind.
Cheesy's question above regarding the similarities of a kite and a spinnaker have great merit and certainly deserves a reasoned response from you.
To have the outright speed SAILING record cover a craft that does not sail and can't float is ludicrous. The kiteguys have done incredible speeds-they are nothing short of phenomenal. But to put them in the same category in terms of the outright speed SAILING record as a 59' LOA 80' wide 11,000lb sailboat carrying 8 people is just plain silly.
For me personally... I see a hull form that has to obey the same laws of hydrodynamics as are applied to a boat, such as L'Hydroptere. The kiteboard must be able to dynamically support the rider, has to be able to provide lateral resistance to the forces of the sail (see above), must be steerable for control and safety and (hopefully) must be able to fufill its design goals from the initial brief.
If you see this differently, then tell us how that has come to pass for you. If it is about standing stability and flotation, then please describe the function of the "boat" known as Mirabaud. When I look at her, I see a boat with very interesting technical capabilities and a certain willingness on the part of the designer to move away from what is typically referred to as "a boat".
Mirabaud has no capability of standing upright by itself on its flotation device, which is typically called, a hull. Instead, it tips over to a completely non-sailable state on its side, resisting total turtle capsize by the presence of inflated pods out under the wing racks. The "boat" can not be righted without outside assistance. Once righted, it is then possible to sail it once the "boat" starts to move and the foils generate enough dynamic lift to stabilize the craft.
Yet, you wish to call that form a sailboat.
From Merriam Websters dictionary:
sailing-the sport of handling or riding in a sailboat
So, if this is the boiler plate from which you want to make your determination, then you will also have to toss Mirabaud right out the window of boatdom and into the weirdo, experimental pile... but not a boat, as you do not ride "in" it, but instead, "on" it.
Now, if you then wish to bypass the "in" requirement and take the phrase, "of handling" as the qualifier, then kiteboards easily meet that point with no problem. I can't imagine one person being able to state that a kite board is not "handled".
In other words you have to throw common sense(and the definition of sailing) out the window to claim a kiteboard (not a boat) is sailing!
It's very interesting to me that the WSSRC recognizes kiteboards as sailing boats, yet, you do not wish to find their opinions with merit. Mind you, this is the same organization upon which you would depend in order to recognize any possible record setting achievements of Hydrop. Further, the same body would be the one to recognize any legitimate and ratified claims for speed achieved by a foling Moth. The WSSRC has chosen to classify kiteboards as sailing boats, only defining the type within a different class of the record keeping process.
Here is the URL link to the specific page in the WSSRC rules that governs records and attempts for 500 meter speed sailing events:
http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/the-course-of-half-a-kilometre.html
You can clearly see that the council has seen fit to describe the kiteboard as well within the rules, only defining them within a separate division, just like sailboats that use different sail areas to achieve their fantastic speeds.
With the outright world record speed having been achieved by two different kiteboarders on four separate runs, it is not a fluke that they have clearly broken through the mythical 50 knot barrier, well before it was done by L'Hydroptere. In fact, Hydrop still hasn't done the full 500 meters at an average speed of 50 knots.
The race to 50 is over, Doug and there isn't one single thing you can do about it save sputter.
Chris Ostlind
Lunada Design
www.lunadadesign.com
