iFLY15 Foiling catamarans make their U.S. debut in Miami
by Emily Copeland 14 Jan 2020 21:58 PST
iFLY15 Hydrafoil Catamaran © Miami Yacht Club
The iFLY15 Hydrafoil Catamaran has made its highly anticipated landfall in the United States at the Miami Yacht Club (MYC). Sailing enthusiasts across Miami are welcomed to MYC to meet the boat's designer and experience the wonder of this vessel for themselves.
The iFLY15 provides an amazing sensation of foiling. The iFLY15 can be sailed within the first hour - and it is stable, swift and safe. There is simply no comparison with conventional flying boats. The speed is impressive, but the sailor always stays in control. Sailors who have test sailed the iFLY15 report being thrilled, but maintaining safety aboard. Most of the test sailors had no previous experience with a foiling boat. The general consensus among test sailors was that the iFLY15 is the best choice among foiling multihulls on the market, complete with expert engineering and quality.
The most distinctive feature of the iFLY15 is the combination of stable flight with high performance. This is achieved by high-tech components, such as solid carbon-titanium foils and the patented FlySafe® technology. The advanced mechanical flight control system employs aviation technology to actively stabilize the horizontal flight attitude, longitudinally and laterally.
Stable flight is key for both: (1) highest performance and foiling in a wide wind range, including rough and wavy conditions, but also (2) easy access into foiling, even for non-professional sailors with average experience in dinghy or beach catamaran sailing.
The boat has been flying since 2016, and only 40 iFLYs exist currently worldwide. 2020 production is slated for 50 units this year. The iFLY15 lifts off in as little as 5-6 kts.. In 6 kts of wind, she reaches 14kts of boat speed. The highest recorded speed to date on the iFLY15 is 33kts. Even at 33 kts., she remains fully under control and iFLY15 can slow down quickly at any time.
About the designer, who is available for interview: Ernst-Michael Miller is a German aviation engineer. After having run several engineering companies and working for Airbus and BMW, he made his passion his profession and founded the iFLY15 project by bringing together an interdisciplinary team of 20 international sailing and avionics experts from all over the world. Since 2015, Michael has devoted 100% of his time, energy and love to iFLY.
Videos of the boat in action can be found here.