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Sail-World.com : High-speed training sessions for l’Hydroptère

High-speed training sessions for l’Hydroptère

'L’Hydroptere on a trial run' Hydroptere.com Click Here to view large photo

l’Hydroptère was put back in the water on Monday 29th September after a complete check-up at La Ciotat. The boat was taken directly to her speed base at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône to resume her training sessions.

After the summer sailing sessions, l’Hydroptère was placed in dry dock. Every centimetre of the boat was carefully verified. The central hull and the floaters were streamlined, the foils optimized, and the sails were reinforced by Incidence in Brest. Studies conducted by the scientific teams and the conclusions reached by the crew after sailing sessions were a leading factor in these works. Alain Thébault: 'l’Hydroptère is a scientific project, a research project, but the impressions of the sailors are a very important element. It is only at sea that we can understand how the boat behaves, and the crew’s input completes the studies. You cannot have one without the other.'

After launching, the mast was tilted to increase the strength of the sails and the rigging’s potential. The runs on the speed base at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône are made on a beam reach, so the crew specifically configured the rigging for runs on starboard tack.

L’Hydroptere on a trial run - Hydroptere.com Click Here to view large photo

The WSSRC officially re-opened the spot on 30th September. Since then, l’Hydroptère has resumed her training for the absolute sailing speed record, recently established at 49.84 knots by the American kitesurfer, Rob Douglas (and since broken twice to now stand at over 50kts).

This performance has only served to strengthen the motivation of Alain Thébault and his crew, who hope to take on the challenge of 50 knots very soon, and who are eagerly watching the weather conditions.

This week the wind conditions were pretty favourable, but the swell formed by the west winds made it impossible to go to the speed base at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône. Therefore, l'Hydroptère trained in the bay of Fos sur Mer. During these training sessions, Alain Thébault and his crew brought the boat's record speed from 47.6 to 52.86 knots. This recording is from the official Trimble measurement system, required by the WSSRC.

http://www.hydroptere.com/

l’Hydroptere at speed -

by l’Hydroptère media 9:48 AM Tue 7 Oct 2008 GMT

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