New world record: 39.11 knots for 1 nautical mile

[RalfsB]

More about that 67 knots "record" https://www.catsailingnews.com/2020/07/ ... -news.html

[Daversj]

I don't understand why the speed record is not held by a rider on Hydrofoil.
I read an interview by Alex Caizergue talking about his record and he said that with his current setup he can reach a speed of 1.1 or 1.2 times the wind speed. Meaning that for his 58 knots records, he was riding with at least 50 knots of wind.

With an hydrofoil you can go faster than the wind (more than 2 times). So the potential for breaking speed record seems a lot higher. Furthermore, actual foil competitions are only focus on speed (it's a basic race between riders).
Is it a problem of stability, equipment... ? (I don't foil so any information is welcome).

The reason is drag. A double in speed increases drag by four times, so at high speeds all that surface area of a hydrofoil (wing, stabiliser, fuselage, mast) becomes a limiting factor. You want as small area as possible in the water. Think about fast airplanes like the X-15, they have really small wings.

I think conventional board at speed is actually riding on a thin layer of air at the boards bottom surface, less friction and parasitic drag than a foil underwater. Maybe an engineer could explain it better...

[Matty V]

It’s about power and control.
There is a point at which the squishy bit that joins the kite and the board together can not deliver what can be achieved with hydraulics, carbon and physics.

[Baptiste_FR]

Something very interesting !
Antoine Albeau broke the world record for the nautical mile with 43,04 knots (3 days ago) with a windsurf.
Yesterday, the same man on the same spot broke the record on a windsurf foil but this time at a speed of 30.76 knots for the mile.
That is a huge difference, and I would have think that a windsurf foil could go a bit faster.

https://www.ffvoile.fr/ffv/web/actualit ... #gsc.tab=0
Sorry, but could not find the news in english.

At his age (48), the man has an incredible prize list and is still at the top of his game. Ok, maybe another sign that the sport itself is not attractive to young riders....

[Baptiste_FR]

At least they had fun with it !