Attempt on the world sailing speed record. Target 80 knots.

[Concerto]

There is a craft being built for launching early next year that is designed to break the current 65.45 knot world sailing speed record by reaching 80 knots. An interesting project being run by mainly students with an average age of 23 years. The craft is a 7m trimaran with a kite sail and the hulls will all remain in contact with the water. They will need a steady 25 knot windspeed and the attempt will be made in 2023 at Leucate (France).

SP80 | Chasing the World Sailing Speed Record

 

[Daydream believer]

Like to see the Orcas nibble the rudder on that one as it goes by, on its way to Gibralter.

 

[Sandy]

There is a craft being built for launching early next year that is designed to break the current 65.45 knot world sailing speed record by reaching 80 knots. An interesting project being run by mainly students with an average age of 23 years. The craft is a 7m trimaran with a kite sail and the hulls will all remain in contact with the water. They will need a steady 25 knot windspeed and the attempt will be made in 2023 at Leucate (France).

SP80 | Chasing the World Sailing Speed Record

I shall keep well out of their way.

 

[Bouba]

As a motorboater can I just say that I’d be bloody upset if the law required me to give way to that??

 

[capnsensible]

Sometimes, Anderson 22's can slow down to that.

 

[lustyd]

I can't see anything 7m LOA being useful at 80kts in a 25kt blow. Even if they do get up to speed they won't be able to see as their eyeballs will be bouncing right up until the boat goes under!

 

[newtothis]

Sometimes, Anderson 22's can slow down to that.

Only when they ease the sheets going to windward. Downwind: no chance.

 

[capnsensible]

I wonder how they manage in motorboats making speeds of over 200mph if their eyeballs fail at 80 knots?

 

[lustyd]

Motorboats do that in very calm conditions though, not 25kts

 

[capnsensible]

25 knots of wind in a sheltered lake or estuary is not gonna give a high sea state. I sail in an area like that in the lee of an island every week. ?

 

[Daydream believer]

Sometimes, Anderson 22's can slow down to that.

Don't we just miss Seajet when we need him
Put those students in their place.

 

[Daydream believer]

I can't see anything 7m LOA being useful at 80kts in a 25kt blow. Even if they do get up to speed they won't be able to see as their eyeballs will be bouncing right up until the boat goes under!

Not my eye balls that would be giving me cause for concern

 

[Summer Sailor]

Just wear a bra. You'll be fine.

 

[TwoFish]

As a motorboater can I just say that I’d be bloody upset if the law required me to give way to that??

Interesting point. I think it's far from clear that a kite powered vessel constitutes a "vessel under sail" per COLREGS Rule 3 (c). Assuming not, things become more difficult. If it's neither a power driven vessel not a sailing vessel and not falling within any of the other COLREGS situations (CBD, RAM, NUC etc.) then the law seems unclear. I'd guess we'd be back to what I understand to be the general seafaring principle of 'more manoeuverble thing gives way' , but I can't find any clear codification or precedent that supports that.

 

[Stemar]

I rather think that doing 80 knots under sail behind a kite, NUC might just be a reasonable description. A pitchpole would leave you a bit sore

More seriously, good luck to them. I'd have loved to do the same thing when I was young and immortal

 

[TwoFish]

I rather think that doing 80 knots under sail behind a kite, NUC might just be a reasonable description. A pitchpole would leave you a bit sore

But should that not be "I rather think that doing 80 knots under power behind a kite . . . "?

 

[Martin_J]

Last time I went to Leucate was in 1988 in this vehicle.. (The one on the right!)..



We were also a group of four students with a similar average age and our first view of Port Leucate was this..



It was the fastest I have ever windsurfed and we were definitely aiming to keep up with the traffic...



The one thing we did learn was that there were random large patches of weed... That's when we realised all the locals had 45 degree swept back fins unlike ours which were rather vertical and brought you to a standstill rather quick in the weed patches

One thing to remember when travelling at 80mph perhaps.

Edit - Thinking about it now, their fins might have been swept back even more than 45 degrees to cope with the weed.

 

[Mudisox]

I think that it will take a lot of time and development to even overtake Paul Larson's record. It took his team some 3 + years before they found the right design and conditions to break 60+ kts.

 

[Mistroma]

25 knots of wind in a sheltered lake or estuary is not gonna give a high sea state. I sail in an area like that in the lee of an island every week. ?

I still remember a great sail from Canet en Roussillon to Palavas-les-Flots in 2016. We had a beat initially till just past Leucate and then able to broad reach the rest of the trip. The wind was forecast to pick up and back slightly around the time we expected to reach Leucate and it behaved as expected. I think we covered more than 70nm over the ground as we hugged the coast with the wind around 30 knots all day. Only a scrap of sail out but flat water and very fast sailing in smooth water. It didn't exactly look smooth even a little further out into the Gulf. Fine close inshore as you say and that was well above 25 knots. I think mostly 25-30 knots with many 35 knot gusts and some well over 40knots. I remember seeing 10 knots on the log a few times, not exactly accurate of course but still very quick. A good area to try for a record.

 

[capnsensible]

During the first three months of the year there were big international dinghy classes sailing for racing and training out of Marina Rubicon here in Lanzarote. They were doing this to keep up skill and finess levels for the delayed olympics. Enjoyed seeing the Uk sailors in action.

It was great watching the various classes out zooming around. But the amazing ones were the foiling windsurfers. Gawd know what speed they were hitting. Strength and stamina awesome....