We all know how fast world-class sailboats are but did you know that hydrofoil Sail craft now exist. So what is hydrofoil technology anyway? Well, hydrofoil technology is like the fin below a sailboat, but all the fin are little wings called strakes and as the sailboat goes faster and faster the boat lifts up out of the water completely into water no longer touches the hull. The boat looks as if it is flying, but it is really resting on the little wings underwater. How could do that? Well, the answer is really simple for one who studies hydrodynamics and flows in various fluids. You see, there is less drag would only a little part of a boat is in the water and with very little to hold back the sailboat the wind pushes the sailboat along while it drags its little feet in water. Each year be wind power hydrofoil Sail craft break new speed records and the latest speed record set in October of 2005 is 57.5 mph or about 50 knots. But 50 knots isn't that fast is it on the water? Well considering that the sailboat has no engine, indeed that is one hell of a speed. Some of these hydrofoil Sail craft look like something out of a science-fiction movie in the engineer in the goes into it is nothing less than state-of-the-art in the leading edge technology. Right now some of these exotic racing boats and their captains believe that there might be a 50 knot barrier, however it appears that sometime in 2006 someone may discover one more way to even beat that record. Time will tell. |
