Fastest? (Idle curiosity)

[cynthia]

Yesterday, during a stroll along the coast I was lucky enough to enjoy the following sights:
The Yves Parlier multihull pass, travelling at some speed despite light winds.
Windsurfers tearing along in somewhat heavier breeze.
Kite boarders who had found a stretch of flat water by the mouth of the bay where the wind was strongest.

All were pretty speedy, but I think the kite boarders were amazingly fast. Does anyone know what holds the record for the fastest sail powered 'vessel' over water? I'm assuming a kite surfer would qualify??

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimi]

From the Daily Mail

Scottish Inventor Angus John claims to have smashed the world
speedsailing record in his home made boat, the "Spiral Rift".
John's craft bears little resemblance to a conventional boat,
being described by the designer as "merely a survival pod".
It is a bullet-shaped steel cask, packed with padding to protect the
pilot during the run. To power the attempt, John used a large
soft kite, similar in design to a parachute, flying on several
miles of a special Nylon known as "Spectra", which is claimed to be
stronger than Steel. John bolted his small capsule to the deck of
trawler and used the ship's winches to coax the kite higher and higher
to reach into the Jet-Stream. As the kite hit the high-altitude wind,
the strain grew more quickly than expected and rather than the planned
controlled release, the capsule simply ripped it's fittings from the
deck of the ship and shot across the water. Unfortuately, this destroyed
part of the timing system, so an official speed was not recorded, but
the crew estimates indicate speeds of over 150mph as it skipped across
the surface, only occasionaly making contact with a wave-top. John
is currently recovering from his ordeal in Glasgow Royal Infirmary.


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Aeolus_IV]

Look <A target="_blank" HREF=http://users.swing.be/FDB/centurion/index2.html>Centurion 32 Web site

 

[Twister_Ken]

Glorious eccentricity

If you ever get the chance go along to Weymouth Speed Week.

Never before in the history of human endeavour, have so many weird and bizarre watercraft met so many beards.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[janie]

Re: Glorious eccentricity

That made me go back and make a note of the dates!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[cynthia]

Re: Glorious eccentricity

You lot never cease to amaze me with your knowledge. Think you aught to get together an 'Egg Heads' team! Thanks for the info.

<hr width=100% size=1>