Sailrocketry

"To one who has turned lifeless materials into a thing alive and forced it to do his bidding against the resisting forces of nature in silence, without fuel and without defiling air or water, there can never be anything more wonderful than the sailboat. "The sailboat never offends the senses of fish, fowl or man. To make it move faster is to make it more a thing of freedom and beauty."
--Bernard Smith, "The 40-Knot Sailboat," 1963

"I am now safe in the knowledge that no one can dispute that this is a very viable concept of enormous potential. In fact, I think it is perhaps one of the most significant speed sailing craft of all time. The concept behind this craft is future proof." --Paul Larsen

Comments

• You may want to follow the Hydroptere too (hydroptere.com). I’m constantly changing my screen background between these two. They’re such different approaches to the problem, one making a “known boat” go faster through refinement and the other starting with a fresh sheet of paper.

  We’re getting to the point where foil ventilation and cavitation are as important for these guys as they are for power boat racers. See also wotrocket.com for more on what happens at the leading edge of a foil. Personally, I’m with the proas, but I saw the foiler tri a few weeks ago and I want a ride.

  Posted by John Turnbull  on  01/19  at  05:05 PM

• Hi John,

  Yes, I do follow the aqua copter and I agree, would love a ride - a remarkable beast. Funny how both approaches achieved major disaster recently!

  Posted by Editor  on  01/20  at  09:33 PM