How fast do yachts sail

An F50 catamaran preparing for the Sail GP series recently even broke this barrier, reaching an incredible speed of This was achieved in a wind of just F50s are metre-long, 8. How are these yachts able to go so fast? The answer lies in some simple fluid dynamics. To build a faster boat you have to find ways to overcome the drag force. The first mechanism is friction.

As the water flows past the hull, a microscopic layer of water is effectively attached to the hull and is pulled along with the yacht. A second layer of water then attaches to the first layer, and the sliding or shearing between them creates friction.

On the outside of this is a third layer, which slides over the inner layers creating more friction, and so on. A yacht also makes waves as it pushes the water around and under the hull from the bow front to the stern back of the boat. The waves form two distinctive patterns around the yacht one at each end , known as Kelvin Wave patterns. These waves, which move at the same speed as the yacht, are very energetic. They provide comfort in high activity pursuits and are the latest generation of a much-loved favourite.

Team Robertson takes control in light conditions Many foiling boats can't race when they can't fly, but the Persico 69F was able to demonstrate its versatility in today's light winds, and the fleet completed five races. Posted on 13 Nov. All Rights Reserved. Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph contact the photographer directly. If you have any questions about advertising or editorial then please contact our team.

The hoist you might feel under your feet when an airplane first takes off is not so different from the jostling sensations of push and drag that sailors feel maneuvering one of these catamarans. They can sense changes in the forces in the sail and know how to respond to it. The AC72s also use lift when foiling, which is when the two hulls of the catamaran raise off the water and the boat is almost literally flying, with only the rudders and a board anchoring it to the bay.

Foiling makes the boat even faster because the drag forces slowing the boat down are now mostly in the air instead of the water. Search-Icon Created with Sketch. KQED is a proud member of. Always free. Sign In. KQED Inform. Save Article Save Article.