Flying over the High-Seas with Hydroptere!
After being driven in a hydrofoil jet-boat across the Japan sea just under a week ago, it made me really develop in interest again in the high-seas after being sick on them just over a month ago on the Great Barrier Reef. The speed is incredible and there isn’t the motion sickness even during very rough seas you get on, say, a catamaran.
What is a hydrofoil boat?
Well, hydrofoil boats are something originally invented by Alexander Graham Bell, it was one of his great passions later in life before his death. It all comes down to resistance, the less resistance a boat has with the water, the faster and more responsive it becomes. This is mostly accomplished by applying wax and sheen on the hull, in addition to aerodynamic augmentations but hydrofoils take this one step further. What hydrofoils do is, by using the weight of the water column itself at speed, lift the entire boat above the water. Much like retracting the landing gear in an airplane in flight, the decrease in surface area in contact with the water leads to an exponential increase in performance at very little cost.
Hydroptere
The Hydroptere isn’t a new concept but it’s but a glimpse into what this technology holds for the future. Imagine traveling over 50 knots using only the power of the wind! Now imagine doing this without a lot of the motion sickness, rough seas and being able to turn on a dime… this is the promise of hydrofoil technology. As you are floating above the sea, even in rough waters, the ride remains relatively stable. In this case, the Hydroptere is 18 meters long and weights about 7 tonnes fully equipped. The nice thing about the Hydroptere is you only need to hit 12 knots (do-able in most winds at sea) to build up enough forward momentum to lift the entire vessel out of the water!
Physical Demands
The physical condition somebody needs to be to maintain a sailing ship on the high seas is tremendous. From constant rudder adjustments to moving a sails, sailing is easily one of the most demanding hobbies anybody can try.
The Bottom Line
Mastering both the air and the seas is a goal of mine while living firmly on terra ferma.
Buzzvia
http://www.luxist.com/2007/08/05/hydroptere-frances-flying-yacht/
http://www.hydroptere.com/
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