World sailing speed
record challenge
Introduction
This revolutionary sail craft will literally fly, more like a plane than a boat.
It will
- sail more than twice as fast as the wind,
- rewrite the world sailing speed record book,
- become the Formula 1 of sail boat racing, and
- create a new extreme sport
The WBHF is the patented invention of an Australian mathematician and scientist, Dr Stephen Bourn.
There is a hull, but in place of a sail there is a wing, inclined and offset to the side,
and in place of a keel there is a hydrofoil, offset on the opposite side.
The wing pulls the hull up to fly just above the waves smoothly, silently and incredibly fast.
Paradoxically, in light to moderate winds, with the hull still in the water,
the WBHF will be just as fast but easier and safer to sail than the very quickest currently existing boats,
because of inherent stability and self-righting properties.
The design was inspired after a fresh look at the basic principles of sailing
and exploration of the absolute limits to performance led to the revelation of
a new fundamental ‘law of motion’ applicable to all sail craft.
The combination of both improved speed and improved stability arises from
the novel geometrical interrelationship between the wing, hull and hydrofoil.
The craft is being constructed with extensive use of carbon fibre composite sandwich
using the latest vacuum resin infusion techniques to ensure high strength and minimum weight.
- the ability to tack and sail in all directions,
- the ability to sail in all conditions and on unsheltered waters,
- trailerable,
- quick to rig, and
- launch off the beach.
Construction is underway of a full size prototype craft
which will initially be tuned for good performance over a wide range of speeds from 0 to 40+ knots.
Future project goals are to
- start commercial production to make Wing-borne Hydrofoil Sail Craft (WHSC - pronounced "whisk") available to all, and
- retune the craft to break the world sailing speed record.
