The World's Fastest Sailboats - Sailing for Speed Freaks!

How fast is it? It's a question sailors hate to answer, because it usually comes out as an apology. "She'll cruise at 6 knots" doesn't exactly cause gasps among the non-sailors. More than once, some landlubber has spat back "I can run faster than that!" To which the proper reply, should you be faced with such a tactless rube, is "Great! Race you to Australia."

But wait a minute. While the 276 knot top speed of a powerboat is still a long way off, racing sailboats are no longer the pokey, "it's the journey, not the destination" craft they once were. With advances in technology, sailboats are going fast - really fast! 50 knots on the water is within reach, by the power of the wind alone. So, gather your coworkers, your brothers-in-law, your unthrillable teenagers, and let them behold: "Sailing fast" is no longer a relative term, and here are 10 of the top boats in the world to prove it.

L'Hydroptère

L'Hydroptère, the huge Hydrofoil Tri (pictured above), with a jaw-dropping 47+ knot top speed, is the fastest sailing boat in the world. Over the nautical mile, the flying boat clocked an impressive 41.69 kts last fall, on Quiberon Bay in France, for the world record. With speeds near those of windsurfers, Hydroptère may be a vision of all the inland sailing speed record-breakers to come, but it may be a design that won't hold up at sea. Hydrofoils have been around a long time, and have yet to be considered suitable for ocean conditions. Team Hydroptère is testing this now in the Med, where this season's fluky Mistrals are easing them in to open sea sailing. They report it's been so far, so good!

 

Groupama 3

Franck Cammas and Groupama 3 hold both the fastest 24 hour record on a sailboat (794 nm at an average speed of 33.08 knots), and the fastest crossing from Ambrose Light to Lizard point (4d 3h 57m 54s at an average speed of 29.26 knots). In attempting the Jules Verne 'round the world record, Groupama 3 cracked a pontoon and capsized. The boat is currently being strengthened with a new carbon fiber lay-up, and will be back on the water next year.

 

Sodeb'0

It's only been a few days since Thomas Coville brought the 105 foot trimaran Sodeb'0 across the Atlantic. Though not yet official, his time of 5 days, 19 hours, 29 minutes and 20 seconds is the fastest solo from Ambrose Light (US) to Lizard Point (UK), and Sodeb'O is currently the fastest singlehand sailboat there is, clocking 619.3 nm in 24 hours, at an impressive 25.8 knots.

 

ABN AMRO TWO

 

The 70 foot monohull yacht ABN AMRO TWO, skippered by Sebastien Josse, broke the 24 hour distance record for a monohull yacht in 2006 at 562.96 nautical miles. Josse's boat averaged 23.4 knots while sailing in the Southern Ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

Gitana 13

YachtPal Lionel Lemonchois and his crew on Gitana 13 have enjoyed a record-shattering good year, and they're set to break a few more next year. Among their many records are the New York to San Francisco via Cape Horn sailing route, and the truly trans-pacific San Francisco to Japan run. As Lemonchois told us, "the boat is built for breaking records."

 

 

 

 

 

Mari-Cha IV

Robert Miller and the yacht Mari-Cha IV hold the record for the fastest monohull boat to cross the Atlantic, sailing the course in 6 days 17 hours and 52 minutes. Built at JMV in 2003, and capable of speeds of over 40 knots, the 140 foot yacht Mari-Cha was built specifically to break ocean sailing records. The carbon fiber yacht weighs 55 tons, and draws 16 feet 5 inches. However, Mari-Cha IV's canting keel allows her to zoom past the skinny waters with a 19 inch draw.

Orange II

Orange II is the fastest boat to ever sail around the world non-stop. With Bruno Peyron as skipper, the crew of Orange II brought the speedy catamaran around the world in 50 days at an average speed of 17.89 knots during the 2005 sailing season. Orange II also holds the Equator to Equator, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean crewed sailing records.

IDEC

The trimaran IDEC, with Francis Joyon at the helm, is currently the fastest sailboat to be sailed solo around the world non-stop. He set the record earlier this year when he went round in 57 days singlehanded at an average speed of 15.84 knots. Joyon also holds the Singlehanded Equator to Equator, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean sailing records on IDEC.

 

 

 

 

PRB

Vincent Riou holds the around the world record on a monohull yacht. The yacht PRB (the same Open 60 that held the previous record, and the same boat now sailed by Sam Davies as ROXY) went round the world in just 87 days 10 hours and 47 minutes. Watch for Vincent and the others to be battling for this record in the upcoming Vendee Globe around the world race.

 

Windsurfer

The fastest thing under sail isn't actually a boat - though that may depend on your definition. Windsurfer Antoine Albeau holds the sailing speed record, and is currently the fastest human under sail. He broke the record in Les Saintes Maries, France last March at an incredible speed of 49.09 knots!

- The World's Fastest Sailboats by BH & KH for YachtPals.com

READ MORE ABOUT:

• Racing (sailboats)
• catamarans
• sailing records
• speed sailing
• trimarans
• Antoine Albeau
• L'Hydroptère
• Groupama 3
• Sodeb'0
• IDEC
• PRB
• ROXY
• Gitana 13

Sailing Video: Sailing the world's fastest sailboat, L'Hydroptère.

Submitted By YachtPals on 20 Jul

sailing records, trimaran, catamaran, monohulls, speed sailing, fastest sailboats, sailboats, sailboat, yachts, yacht, sailing