Faster than 50 Knots

[barnakiel]

French l'Hydroptere has beaten the speed record.

New record 51.38 knots.

b.

[David M]

Wow!

[James S]

Damn...what a great picture....that thing is flying....thanks for the wind in my face David

[Event_Horizon]

There is a video of them doing 47.2 knots.

YouTube - Hydrofoil Speed record

[fastcat435]

This sure is another way to lift your prop and sail drive from the water to decrease drag :-)

[Dockhead]

That is absofu****inglutely amazing. That's the sailing equivalent of a man on the moon. Let's take our hats off to French yachtsmen. They are at the cutting edge of our sport.

[Gilbo]

just imagine how fast they'd go if they had the balls to put up full main!

[Hydra]

Gilbo,
They were clever enough not to put up full main. Had they done that, they would have capsized. It happened a few times already.

Alain

[David M]

The video gave me goosebumps. Its much like flying.

[barnakiel]

Now let's wait and see if (the French) can take the AC one day. If they do, will take like ages for the US to get it back. But they will - they have the best lawyers in the world ;-))))

I also like Chablais, and Carla Bruni is not ugly either.

b.

[ColdFusion]

Holy cow! Do you need a pilot's licence for that thing?

Truly fecking amazing!

[Hydra]

No licence is required for sailing yachts in France, as long as you do it for pleasure, not for money. But you better be proficient: the Hydroptere has crashed many times upon pilot error.

Alain

[imagine2frolic]

It doesn't matter how many times I see this video. I always get tense watching that sucker move through the air, and water......it's just plain wild......i2f

[S&S]

Nuts! I'd need hourly shorts changes driving that thing.