Trifoiler ripping across San Diego’s Mission Bay

This little hydro-foil sailing craft, Trifoiler still holds a speed record, and is the Fastest Production Sailboat ever.

[@Paiadakine]

I remember seeing one of these in the harbor side of Cabrillo Beach in the mid or late 80's. I used to windsurf on the ocean side of Cabrillo beach. That thing was fast and could turn on a dime. Never did see one in the ocean. But was it ever fast. I wonder how it would go with modern sails.

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

I just happen to be on board the boat belonging to the Tri-Foiler designers ‘Force’. We are making a Trans-Atlantic Crossing on a Small Cat. pursuingbalancethruadventuresailing.wordpress.com/2024/01/19/trans-atlantic-crossing-on-a-small-catamaran/

[@Paiadakine]

@@pursuingbalancethruadventure Wow what an adventure!! Wishing you the best.

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

Thanks, appreciate it. @@Paiadakine

[@paulverdon4362]

i got to sail on one at cairns in aust late 80s, right spot right time, don't know how it got there

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

They are such a trip!

[@michaelmeinberg2696]

Me too! Off of Crissy Field in San Francisco (right in front of the bridge) - we were flying! The speedometer was in MPH and pegged at 45... Such a blast. If one comes up for sale I would seriosly consider it - they don't that often though - only 400ish were made.

[@jwgmail]

They come up for sale every now and then, around $10k. Maybe one day...

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

Trifoiler is Fast and Furious on the water

[@myperspective5091]

It has been awhile since I’ve seen a video on this subject. I think it’s been at least 12 years. 🌊👍⛵️👍🌊

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

It seems after all these years people still are still interested in going fast under sail. Trifoiler was on the leading edge of what now is fairly common place as far as foiling boards, and more and more competitive sailboats.

[@myperspective5091]

@@pursuingbalancethruadventure yeah Hydro foiling sailboat like the moth have always been intriguing. What really blew me away was the foiling windsurfers and the kite foiling.

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

I was with my friends, the two engineers that developed Trifoiler, you might have seen that we sailed a ‘Trans-Atlantic Crossing on a Small Catamaran’, and they tried to teach me to Wing Foil-board. I got so I could sail it but once it started to lift up on the foil I quickly went off, lol.

[@myperspective5091]

@@pursuingbalancethruadventure I remember that wire across the trioilers sails would whistle when the wind really got blowing.

[@jcfrazier5853]

So fast and turns like a go-kart! I heard that they stopped making these in the 80's? How'd you come across one? Just curious.

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

Dan and Greg Ketterman are the designers and recently retired from being engineers for Hobie Cat. This is Dan’s Trifoiler and he tries to still help out with the Trifoiler cause when he can.

[@tiomiguel999]

@@pursuingbalancethruadventure What do you think of the idea of increasing the main hull size to include a cabin, (I guess that could require making design changes elsewhere), and/or replacing the existing front floats with foils, (again this could require compromises)?

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

@@tiomiguel999 Hmmm... not being an engineer I cannot really comment on this, but I assume that would be a far different purpose than the design of this speedy little craft.

[@tiomiguel999]

@@pursuingbalancethruadventure Thanks, I'm a designer with no boat building experience looking at building a hybrid boat - to me, a catamaran is little more than a cabin on pontoons.

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

@@tiomiguel999I suppose that is a simplistic way to look at it

[@JP-fw5jd]

Like Tatooians racing with wind.

[@danketterman1495]

@JP-fw5jd what is a tatooian?

[@alexanderkrichevsky9194]

31 what? Km/h, mph, kts?

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

Knots

[@roberts.wilson1848]

whoa, talk about old. The moment you see those sky thingies on the front, you know you're dealing with a relic. I'll have to fact check the "fastest production sailboat" claim tho.

[@pursuingbalancethruadventure]

It has been around a long time that is for sure.