Who needs motors?

[Eugene Nahemow]

Flying by the seat of your pants!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSOJH8Gi_Y8

[Ghost]

wow!

[Eugene Nahemow]

No propulsion at all on the boat.
He was just turning down wind to slow up.

Some other videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxLVuXKcmkI&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvJr5PDVBP0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuh198jdZSc&feature=related

[jl1962]

Very cool.

There's also l'Hydroptere which has broken 52 kts.
http://www.linternaute.com/video/69089/hydroptere-records-battus/

And here's an ordinary E scow claiming 35kts -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ex2dFFhpCw
-JL

[zelatore]

Hey Eugene, does Larry E. know about this??

I guess not, or he'd have a fleet of the things on the bay by now...:wink:

[jl1962]

SailRocket briefly hit 52kts today and then they flipped it. Looks like they got about 50' in the air. Pretty cool.

Pics here:
http://www.sailrocket.com/live/?q=blog/3

[f_inscreenname]

That thing is cool as crap!
But they just had to get a SuperNova in the story.:yes:
"There was no supernova of emotion, no tears... just huge smiles and a sense of arrival."

[Last Real Texan]

Very cool.

There's also l'Hydroptere which has broken 52 kts.
http://www.linternaute.com/video/69089/hydroptere-records-battus/

And here's an ordinary E scow claiming 35kts -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ex2dFFhpCw
-JL
That is haulin ass for sure and even with a reefed main sail.
Makes my Toranado racing days seem a little lame now.
Tex

[jl1962]

I know this is a power boat site but -

l'Hydroptere hit 61 kts today in a near gale before flipping!

That's pretty darn fast - cool pic here courtesy SA:
http://www.sailinganarchy.com/fringe/2008/HydroFlip_0098.jpg

Those crazy Frenchmen.....

[Air 22]

Sheeeeeet....thats faster than my 22C:eek::nilly:

[zelatore]

It's fast, no doubt. Even by powerboat standards.

It's easy for us (well, me anyway) to mentally downplay these sort of things as 'it's just a sailboat'. But it's the sailing equivelent of a turbine powered kilo boat or a land speed racer out at Bonneville. They are push-the-limits cutting edge machines with about as much in common with the typical sailboat as an F1 machine has with a road car.

So while sailing might not be my cup of tea, hat's off to 'em anyway. Pretty impressive stuff.

[jl1962]

Sheeeeeet....thats faster than my 22C:eek::nilly:


Only when you're between engines!

Still - it's pretty cool. The French are really good at speed sailing and endurance sailing. Their single-handed distance sailors are national heroes.

Happy Holidays!

:boat: