SPEED: The Story of the F50 | SailGP

[@mattbellina5485]

Sail GP and sail foiling in general gets me so energized and excited I can’t stand it. I truly appreciate all of the efforts by everyone involved. The monumental advancements in the last few years is staggering and incredibly interesting. As much technology and engineering is involved there is still a “magic” perspective created by these new ships. Personally, I am all for the electric propulsion. I do not believe a race is going to be decided by them being used. It is simply a device to get the boats “started”. My opinion is that it is also crucial to keep fan involvement and sponsorship money flowing into this sport so it is more than worth it to use them on the rare occasions that they are needed. Please keep up all of your hard work. I’m a fan for life.

[@zoepaulastrassfield2664]

The music and production on this are really stunning, I knew they set the record and I was still in suspense! This was a great look at the evolution of the class over the past 7 years!

[@2011Matz]

I love Sail GP. Love the foils. The jet? Well . . . . I think this is more about keeping Arab money in the circuit than sailing.

[@happy2b4]

exactly

[@wolfstinnes]

true dat

[@wolfstinnes]

i was in abu dhabi jan 24 and the only thing that saved the spectacle was the proximity of a small circuit

[@Glenn.Cooper]

SailGP is awesome! I get so excited whenever I see these boats power up. Amazing!! As far as the "jet assist" - everyone else in the comments seems compelled to comment here and so I will to0. I get that this is a big step from "traditional sailing", but I'm sure when you go back in time you can see that people said the same thing about non-wooden boats, about catamarans, about the foils, and so on. I'm a fan of the jet assist - doesn't come into play at the real racing speeds, but gets you there. Good stuff!!

[@scottamolinari]

Great video!!!! Whoever is the marketing chief and if they are in charge of making these videos happen, well friggin done! And a very well done and thank you for the teams of people that could make this happen. Awesome work! I asked this before, and you even mentioned it in this video, but me personally, I'd love to hear much more about the very deep technologies that go into Sail GP. Like how is the sail robotic? How is data used? How do the trimming bits work in a boat? Oh man. The tech is sooo cool. I know of the 101 series. That is a great start. Let's have a 102 series that digs even deeper. Let us know more about the tech and the engineering!!! Please!!!! I can't sail one of these boats myself, which is part of liking a sport i.e. doing it yourself (I have sailed, but very recreational). It's the tech that gets me going and knowing all the bits and pieces and work it takes to make a successful Sail GP team. Even down to how the boat is built itself. Give us more of this!!! Thank you!

[@mattbellina5485]

Agreed 110%! Well said!

[@matteogardenghi2291]

when they say the sail is robotic they are referring to the hydraulic control of the sail shape, instead of having a downhaul outhaul and kicker, they can individually control they hydraulic rams all the way along the sail to change its shape, more twist, less twist, flatter, deeper, etc. Data is used primarily to analyse sailor performance, what kinds of things work well what doesn't, also for coaching, and in some cases its used to determine if something is wrong with the boat, maybe the foils are lose or something. But mainly its used for the sailors to see what techniques work best and to refine their sailing. Trimming bits, the main sail is entirely button controlled, no sheets, but the jib is controlled by the grinders and jib trimmer, the grinders turn a driveline that goes to a winch that the trimmer controls, and the trimmer has in their hands the jib sheet, as far as I know there is a clutch on the winch. One thing I would recommend if you want to "sail" these boats is to get the game called "Hydrofoil Generation" its really detailed physics and has a somewhat active racing community, made by the same guy that made asseto corsa. Its a simulator not an arcade game like virtual regatta so buyer be ware.

[@scottamolinari]

​@@matteogardenghi2291 Obviously you have some insider info/ knowledge. I don't want to know from a reply. I want to see it in a video like above. Thanks anyway....

[@matteogardenghi2291]

​@@scottamolinari Yeah obviously it would be best in video form but I felt like providing the information regardless as its better than just saying "yea yea I agree, that would be nice" As an aside, it's not any sort of insider info, just things I've picked up throughout the years. Its all publically available info, but I have it more condensed and in depth because I've met many of the sailors, done four tech tours, participated in SailGP inspire three times, and have been onboard the American F50 (on a mooring during dockout, obviously not whilst sailing). But yes, long story short, a video series going much more in depth into the engineering aspects would be great.

[@s1nb4d59]

Really well put together video,was amazing to watch and see them break the ton and get and also get an insight to what we can expect from the F50 racing in the future,wish the courses were a little larger than current but love watching this channel for the full races as miss them on my sky box all the time.

[@kimberlyredner8913]

Congratulations! Great to watch the F50's get faster and faster (we go over 100 kph in iceboats all the time when the water is hard)

[@TerryHickey-xt4mf]

I was very inspired when I was a kid watching ice boat racing in Canada on tv, so I decided to make a boat with 3 wheels (in New Zealand) that could race along our wonderful windy beaches. Same basic configuration, we called them land yachts and we used to get over 80kmh even in those days, I made a fiberglass mold and sold heaps of them. These days it is too crowded even on our beaches, so a bit of a no-go plus all the red tape, modern safety requirements etc etc. Speed limit now 30kmh on all beaches because they are classified as roads. I am now trying out a self designed hydrofoil fiz boat about 5.5m long powered with a 140hp Suzuki. Can't wait to see us gliding along in it, been on the drawing board for 20 years but watching sail GP has got me all fired up again.

[@KiteTurbine]

Go On that's AWESOME! Kicking Ass SailGP Well done on the design improvements

[@jimwood9849]

Ineos AC75 set a top speed of over 102 kph in the last Americas Cup, I believe.

[@privatetravelpa6525]

Yes 55.6Knts

[@criqdekuyper9259]

And it didn’t help them win…

[@privatetravelpa6525]

@@criqdekuyper9259 it was during the Louis Vuitton Cup

[@jorge8596]

Craziest thing is that they could only do that on the few seconds of bearaway when rounding the top mark, so they could potentially go faster if they went on a proper beam reach, although risking getting into serious cavitation.

[@milesmoore8705]

Way bigger than the F50's and now the F50's are just as fast and soon to be faster consistently.

[@rossmckee821]

Caption writer: At 9:12, it’s a Canadian boat, so it’s “cavitating earlier, EH?”!

[@barendgarvelink]

Jet assist to get it on foils in light air is a bold idea. I love the experiment.

[@vincentdeviry1228]

Don't forget Hydropthere.... 55knts... couple of years ago....

[@zoepaulastrassfield2664]

It’s so wild how that was one-off world record boat specifically built for the attempt and 15 years later there’s a formal class of racing boats (well, really two classes) that can approach that speed during normal racing when at the time it seemed so far-out and untouchable.

[@DrKnowNothing1]

@@zoepaulastrassfield2664 was offshore. F50 and AC are inshore hydropthere

[@matteogardenghi2291]

Hydroptere also cannot tack around a mark to save its life.

[@DrKnowNothing1]

At least it can sail on both tacks, unlike SailRocket

[@matteogardenghi2291]

@@DrKnowNothing1 yea fair enough, just pointing out the false comparison between hydroptere and the F50s as a means to dismiss the acomplishment.

[@Skylarking555]

Jet assist ? What about destinations where the wind is consistent. I understand the while business model is to bring the show in town although most of us are watching it online.

[@matteogardenghi2291]

Then they wont use it...

[@leotard2536]

Jets are a stupid idea. Displacement sailing is also exciting.

[@tobla4029]

I love SaliGP and F50 and all the setup to make it a really GP. It is so fantastic! Next evolution step to break 100kmh is cool! But the use of a turbine is actually a betrayal of the Core Belief from SailGP „Powered by Nature“, come on, it is still a sport in nature, if you have calm wind you have calm wind

[@zoepaulastrassfield2664]

Yes, I think one of the most important things sailing can teach, environmentally, is the ability to adapt *yourself* to nature- you don’t make the wind, you just position yourself to use what conditions provide as best you can. Sometimes that means you don’t sail at all because nature is wild and unpredictable and doesn’t care about two-hour TV windows.

[@happy2b4]

Yeah but they have to not lose money to keep sailing and most people have add, unfortunately.

[@tobla4029]

@@happy2b4but than they cannot use the Slogan „Powered by Nature“ anymore, period.

[@mattbellina5485]

I’m not being rude but I have a serious question. If the jet was powered by a battery that the grinders energized would that be a more acceptable approach?

[@tobla4029]

@@mattbellina5485did you watch the video? a) we are talking about a 30kW jet, this is a motor(boat) and grinders power here a raindrop, b) even grinder’s work itself is already enhanced by battery power

[@mikelaughlin4470]

Great presentation, very exciting stuff! It’s too bad that Phill won’t see the T foils in competition.

[@zoepaulastrassfield2664]

At least he got to set a class record (for now)!

[@mikelaughlin4470]

@ Yes, he sure did!

[@dogzillamonster]

Superb video production!

[@SailGP]

We appreciate you watching! 🙏

[@mini696]

Jet propulsion? Really? How daft.

[@ats-3693]

Yeah that seems to be going a bit too far, if there isn't enough wind to get up foiling then so be it, jet propulsion isn't sailing it's power boating.

[@steve_edm]

I honestly thought it was April fools. Lost me as a fan at exactly the moment they mentioned it.

[@TerryHickey-xt4mf]

not really, there is nothing more frustrating to go to an event of this type expecting the boats to be flying around on their foils, just to see the boats wallowing around instead. The jet just gives then enough push to get them up to make the most of what nature has to offer, and therefor make the sailing more enjoyable for all the onlookers. That is important in this day and age when everyone seems to insist on instant gratification. A good idea that will keep the sport moving forward into the future in my opinion.

[@pumbaandtimon]

It’s the same as DRS in Formula 1. You have to keep it entertaining and a slow race is not. So when the extra power helps to push the boats out of the water then it’s probably no good to use any way, because the boats will go faster than the motor can push it.

[@mini696]

@@pumbaandtimon DRS is an abysmal failure.

[@MrOddball13]

Wow!!!! Just WOWWWWWWWWW 👌

[@happy2b4]

Just don't fall overboard forward of the T-foil!

[@jameslochhead5950]

The Ac75 has reached spades up to 102.971 kilometres

[@jeremyc2786]

no video about the French Team in St Tropez, 2 years ago ?? they reach 99.94km/h with L foil..... and on a real race !!!

[@iansmith1556]

Wonderful progress in sailing technology. Not sure about the introduction of the propulsion system, seems like ‘cheating’. Good to see this technology is on catamarans. Now been proven to be safe and seaworthy in all conditions.

[@matteogardenghi2291]

It serves the exact same purpose as towing onto the foils in the AC. Its not a continuously on thing.

[@roblattimore8456]

Instead of turning it into power boat racing just stop going to venue's with no wind. The best product has always been from windy venues.

[@zoepaulastrassfield2664]

Agreed. If there are venues where we can’t foil, we shouldn’t go there at all, instead of trying to invent work-arounds like this. (And yes, as a New Yorker I’ll include New York in that. If conditions in 2025 still aren’t right on our third time hosting, then they can totally move the Northeast US venue to Newport or Boston or somewhere else.)

[@DrKnowNothing1]

@@zoepaulastrassfield2664even if you choose all windy venues, sometimes nature does not cooperate. The real limitation is that it’s too hard to change rig size to match conditions. I thought the solution was two sets of foils? With larger foils for light wind? Earlier lift, lower top speed.

[@happy2b4]

@@DrKnowNothing1 They already have different sets of foils. At some point the size become too much drag.

[@DrKnowNothing1]

@@happy2b4what is minimum take-off windspeed, with the biggest foils?

[@happy2b4]

@@DrKnowNothing1 Per Google: F50 boats can effectively foil in wind speeds as low as around 13-16 km/h with the new "T-Foil" technology

[@yanisaac]

Adding jets is ridiculous, just keep it in displacement sailing - its still exciting match racing

[@sharkyII]

Is just me or the t-foils seem very dangerous in case of collision? Are they going to keep distance with diamond profiles as in the AC75?

[@jcdazamont]

Peacefull but not anymore.. see you on a 18ft or foiling on whatever saling boat. 🤘

[@orlandosadliksailing]

the motor is going to kill this league.

[@simonnordbjrg1389]

Why do you sail with out a jib in some clips? And did you hit 101 with or with out the jib?

[@sandrocavallari4640]

No jib less drag , and I suspect they did it without !

[@matteogardenghi2291]

​@@sandrocavallari4640 did you watch the video, they show the clip. They hit 101.98 with jib,

[@shorky6]

Wooosh

[@nroose]

OK, so, 100kph is 62mph, not 60mph.

[@loops99]

Jet propulsion? Come on guys.

[@UnkleSi]

Jet assist ??! SailGP just jumped the shark. That ain't sailing....

[@joeypierantonis7576]

Yeah areed. Indifferent on the motor assist. Can't you use a spinnaker or something?

[@ynotbegreat]

Very dangerous in a collision. Someone could get decapitated. I don’t think the bit of extra speed is worth the risk.

[@TerryHickey-xt4mf]

so are automobiles.

[@matteogardenghi2291]

youre never getting the windward foil up to head height without snapping it off on the other boats hull.

[@ynotbegreat]

@@matteogardenghi2291there were plenty of occasions when one hull was high.

[@matteogardenghi2291]

@ yes, however, those only ever happened when boats rose next to eachother, and if you use your eyes, with the foils sticking out it would not be possible, either the foil would break, or the boat would get stuck.

[@sergepitter9639]

Hydroptère was faster. This footage is not spectacular at all. Too bad. You could have shown more scenic shots at high speed.