UK-Cherub Forum
Off Topic => Not Boats => Topic started by: Will_Lee on September 17, 2009, 08:27:43 AM
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From the AYRS mailing list:
On 4th September 2009, in the Hyères harbour, l'Hydroptère became the fastest sailing boat on the planet over 500 meters and one nautical mile.
51.36 knots over 500 meters and 48.72 knots over one nautical mile are the new speed records to beat… (subject to ratification from the WSSRC)
By a 28-knot west wind, Alain Thébault and his crew took full advantage of the flying trimaran's potential and earned the title of the fastest sailing craft on the planet. With a top speed of 55.5 knots (103 km/h) and an average speed of 51.36 knots over 500 meters, today l'Hydroptère takes her place in the history of sailing.
After the attempts in 2008, only one day in 2009 was enough for Alain Thébault and his crew composed last Friday of Anders Bringdal, Jean-Mathieu Bourgeon, François Cazala, Damien Colegrave, Stéphane Dyen, Matt Hodgson, Jérémie Lagarrigue, Pierre Trémouille, Gérard Navarin and Jacques Vincent to reveal l'Hydroptère's new potential and to beat this record.
The speed has increased progressively during that day. This is during the 8th and last run that l'Hydroptère attained her objective and smashed the double record.
"Today the crew was just majestic for this fantastic record, the true representation of a collective work, from an "hydropterian" team very close and determined. The accelerations at over 100 km/h (top speed at 55.7 knots) create intense sensations on board that we have never experienced before. Alain Thébault concludes the first day of trials with the famous sentence from Yoda in Star Wars: "There is no try… It's do or do not!". Today we did it!".
"We should not forget that this record is above all a technological adventure and a team work which could not have been possible without the support of our partners" adds Alain Thébault. "It is mainly thanks to my partnership with Thierry Lombard, managing partner of the private banking house in Geneva (the foundation year "1796" is mentioned in the mainsail), that l'Hydroptère has had the support of a "principal partner" since 2005 and that we started the quest for these records and we could beat them."
Thierry Lombard is also at the origin of the partnership with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). The Swiss institute brings its support in high-tech matters such as aerodynamics, composite materials, structural behaviour and video-imaging. Today "Official Scientific Adviser for l'Hydroptère", the EPFL puts the knowledge of its professors and students, its creativity and calculation power at the flying trimaran's disposal.
After this tremendous success based on the support of eight engineers from the aeronautics industry working on a purely voluntary basis and sharing Alain Thébault's commitment from the first flight, this multidisciplinary team is already dreaming of new projects. Sailing at the helm of the boat configured as before for open seas and taking on long distance records is clearly the team's next challenge. Thus l'Hydroptère is the only sailing boat capable of beating the absolute sailing speed record and of sailing in open seas.
Nevertheless, in the short term, l'Hydroptère will stay at La Seyne sur Mer and Alain Thébault and his crew members will continue their record campaign until the end of the period allowed by the WSSRC i.e. until 7th October.
http://www.hydroptere.com/_en/