Sixty-One Knots, and then . . .

[senormechanico]

l'Hydroptere crashed after hitting 61 knots.

l'Hydroptère

Steve B.

[David M]

61 knots (70.2 mph) on a sailboat is beyond comprehension.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by David M

61 knots (70.2 mph) on a sailboat is beyond comprehension.

Watch a few of their videos and it won't be beyond comprehension.

There are lots of them on youtube.

[imagine2frolic]

She looked more like a plane with the shot from above. She also looked very intact upside down too......FANTASTIC E ride at Disney!

[perchance]

Great fun but will there be anything in it for the go slow sailing community down the road?

[imagine2frolic]

Just like race cars. The technology trickles down......i2f

[sandy daugherty]

I'm not sure how much of this technology will trickle down to cruising cats, but I'm mightily impressed, even if that speed was only momentary. As a real number their sustained 43 knots for a mile is dazzling!

They have given us some serious bragging rights. I can see a searunner owner wandering into the downstairs bar at some ritzy yacht club saying "why yes, I have a trimaran; they've been know to do 71 mph!", as he flicks the end of his clip-on tie, Laurel and Hardy style.

I could never get My Ian Farrier Super Tramp over 56 miles per hour, behind my 4 cylinder Isuzu Trooper, down hill on the interstate.

[Hud3]

To me, doing 20 knots on the water feels like 40. I wonder what 61 knots feels like?

[theonecalledtom]

One day these guys will make it to the Vendee. 30 days round trip? Wonder what its going to take to get from here to there....

I imagine that the trickle down effect for us, at least for a while, will just come in the form of the bomb proof fittings needed to survive at those speeds. At some point our houses on water will catch up though - perhaps in my lifetime

[imagine2frolic]

Originally Posted by Hud3

To me, doing 20 knots on the water feels like 40. I wonder what 61 knots feels like?

It has to be an intense pucker factor!

Everything trickles down when the envelope is pushed. Just look at the things we have from Nasa, and the space program. No it won't be tomorrow, but eventually we all can have access to new technologies

[StayRsailaway]

did you see the guy steering? I bet Jeff Gordon is jealous, that is some serious stress. I hope he had a joint after that little fiasco.

[rustyjeff]

Originally Posted by StayRsailaway

did you see the guy steering? I bet Jeff Gordon is jealous, that is some serious stress. I hope he had a joint after that little fiasco.

I know a few guys that have broken hands,arms etc from steering while going fast. If you have direct steering, (which i think you would need), not hydraulic, its got to hurt when the sh*t hits the fan.

[starfish62]

Originally Posted by rustyjeff

I know a few guys that have broken hands,arms etc from steering while going fast. If you have direct steering, (which i think you would need), not hydraulic, its got to hurt when the sh*t hits the fan.

Wow! You think those rigs have direct cable steering? (I have no idea.) The stresses would be incredible.

[sand sailor]

i wonder how they sit down with balls that big???

[rustyjeff]

Originally Posted by starfish62

Wow! You think those rigs have direct cable steering? (I have no idea.) The stresses would be incredible.

Yes i think they have cable/pully direct steering.
Something that gives enough FEEL when steering. But even those get loaded up. I just meant to make the distinction between that & hydraulics.

But hey, I haven't been on one so I'm just guesing.