SP80 spaceship-like boat designed to break world sailing speed record travelling at over 90mph
Revealed: Final design of craft designed to break the world sailing speed record travelling at more than 90mph powered only by the wind
The SP80 craft has been built with the aim of sailing into the record booksIts aim is to reach a top speed of 80 knots (about 92mph) powered only by windIts been under construction since summer of 2021 before design was revealed The boat will be launched next year with record attempts planned for 2023
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The final design of a craft designed to break the world sailing speed record has been revealed.
The spaceship-like SP80 craft has been built with the aim of sailing into the record books, with a top speed of 80 knots (about 92mph) with only the wind as its sole source of power.
Switzerland-based SP80 described the boat as a sea rocket and said it plans to officially launch it at the end of this year.
The first record attempts are planned for the summer of 2023 in the south of France.
The final design of craft designed to break the world sailing speed record has been revealed
The spaceship-like SP80 craft has been built with the aim of sailing into the record books, with a top speed of 80 knots (about 92mph) powered by the wind as its sole source of power
The boat will be bigger than the initial concept – ten metres long and seven metres wide – but will still be towed across the waves by a giant kite.
The cockpit will have room for two pilots – one to pilot the kite while the other steers the boat.
It has been under construction since the summer of 2021, with this sleek, futuristic shape emerging as the final version.
It has been designed by a team of engineers and students at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) who have combined sailing, kitesurfing and engineering principles.
Benoit Gaudiot, co-founder and pilot, said: ‘Very early in our development phase, it was clear that being alone on board was not an option to accelerate safely up to 80 knots.
The boat will be bigger than the initial concept – ten metres long and seven metres wide – but will still be towed across the waves by a giant kite
The SP80 has been designed by a team of engineers and students at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) who have combined sailing, kitesurfing and engineering principles
The boat has the name of renowned Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille emblazoned on it due to a sponsorship deal
‘At 150 km/h, it is essential to be focused on one task.
‘We will thus have a pilot steering the kite, while a co-pilot will ensure the boat’s trajectory.
‘However, at low speeds, that is around 30 knots, the boat can be sailed solo, which will allow us to welcome passengers onboard to experience something extraordinary.’
The SP80 boat is being assembled at famed Italian shipyard Persico Marine, with the main hull expected to arrive at SP80’s headquarters in Renens, Switzerland, in April.
The boat has the name of renowned Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille emblazoned on it due to a sponsorship deal.
