Photo: Instagram/SailGP
The prestigious competition that was created to bring speed at sea will soon offer even more adrenaline. New features will be added to the boats, allowing them to increase speed significantly, according to the SailGP boss, Sir Russell Coutts. No worries, Formula 1-inspired safety measures are also coming with that.
Back in 2019, when Oracle founder Larry Ellison and champion yachtsman Russell Coutts founded SailGP, they wanted to create a race series that would write history. Coutts is ready to take that to the next level by adding even more speed to the current fast-foiling catamarans.
Since the teams in the competition are not privately owned, the SailGP boss has the entire control over the 50-foot (15 meters) catamarans’ configuration and capabilities. He recently told the Into the Depths podcast that the current rudders and foils will be replaced with new ones. This will help increase speed by 10 kph (6 mph), resulting in a potential speed of 111 kph (68.9 mph), which is “pretty scary.”
Even at the current speed, the SailGP cats aren’t equipped for smooth navigation, shaking and making it very difficult for the yachtsmen to stay in control. This is why the new equipment will also be accompanied by safety features inspired by Formula One. In fact, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were recently invited onboard one of these boats, Stuff reports.
Their feedback coincided with what the SailGP boss had in mind in terms of safety. That is, adding a Halo-like protection system for the driver and the crew because the existing cockpit is “too open,” which exposes the crew to greater risks. Also, the F50 foiling catamarans will get their sides reinforced with a patch of Kevlar.
At the moment, SailGP has ended the European season and is gearing up for the first regatta in the Middle East set, starting on November 12 in Dubai. Coutts did not specify when these modifications will be implemented, but it probably won’t be too long because they’re already working on it.
Since the teams in the competition are not privately owned, the SailGP boss has the entire control over the 50-foot (15 meters) catamarans’ configuration and capabilities. He recently told the Into the Depths podcast that the current rudders and foils will be replaced with new ones. This will help increase speed by 10 kph (6 mph), resulting in a potential speed of 111 kph (68.9 mph), which is “pretty scary.”
Even at the current speed, the SailGP cats aren’t equipped for smooth navigation, shaking and making it very difficult for the yachtsmen to stay in control. This is why the new equipment will also be accompanied by safety features inspired by Formula One. In fact, Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were recently invited onboard one of these boats, Stuff reports.
Their feedback coincided with what the SailGP boss had in mind in terms of safety. That is, adding a Halo-like protection system for the driver and the crew because the existing cockpit is “too open,” which exposes the crew to greater risks. Also, the F50 foiling catamarans will get their sides reinforced with a patch of Kevlar.
At the moment, SailGP has ended the European season and is gearing up for the first regatta in the Middle East set, starting on November 12 in Dubai. Coutts did not specify when these modifications will be implemented, but it probably won’t be too long because they’re already working on it.
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