High-Speed Sailing

I've been watching Hydroptere's website with great interest the last few days. They were sailing in fairly strong winds (30 - 40 knots) however they make no mention of speed, instead they talk about how they are learning to control the craft. I don't know what their projections are for wind speed vs. boat speed but I believe 30 knots should be enough for them to break 50. The winds they were sailing in were apparently quite gusty which will make control very difficult at max power. They are going to have to sail at max power to break 50, so they are looking for steady winds in order to maintain control while running at the edge of control.

The control problem, as I've mentioned previously, is roll stability; if they are at max power they will be "flying" (or nearly flying) the windward hydrofoil. A sudden gust at that point will likely flip the craft. This is because they are using weight to stabilize the craft and in order to counter the overpowering gust they will have to instantly sheet-out (de-power) or they will have to instantly add weight. Instantly adding weight is beyond known technology, and I suspect that they are incapable of sheeting out fast enough to maintain control (short of cutting the sheet [rope]).

Bob