L'Hydroptère is a trimaran flying on 2 huge foils installed under the floats and a lifting plane on the rudder. Entirely built in carbon sandwich, this sailboat weighs about 7 tons. It uses landing gear shock absorbers from the Rafale aircraft to absorb the forces on the foils. Measuring 18.24 m long (60 feet), it is its width which is impressive with 24.50 m between the 2 small floats.
Many people worked on the construction of this yacht, including the naval architecture firm VPLP and engineers from various major aeronautics companies (Dassaut, EADS, DCNS in particular).
Imagined more than 40 years ago and launched 25 years ago, the Hydrofoil has left its mark on the minds of many sailors through the incredible images of high-speed runs. This very long nautical career does not seem to be over since l'Hydroptère has just been bought at the end of 2019 by owners who want to relaunch a record campaign.
1976
Eric Tarbarly flies on a trimaran made from the hull of a Tornado. These trials are taking place in La Rochelle.
1984
Alain Thébault, a young disciple of Tabarly with whom he sailed (he was 22 years old at the time), took over the project and sought funding by getting closer to Dassault. The first drawings of what will be the Hydrofoil are beginning to emerge.
1991
A 1/3 scale model is built to validate the concept
1994
Launch of l'Hydroptère and first tests. The machine reaches a speed of 35 knots which is promising for the future.
1995
Éric Tabarly, 20 years after his first thoughts on flying sailboats, takes off with l'Hydroptère.
1995
During a video session, aboard the French army frigate Surcouf, the Hydroptère breaks its port link arm.
2005
Then in its 4th development version and supported by Alstom, on 9 February, l'Hydroptère set the record for crossing the English Channel under sail in 33 minutes. Two minutes less than Louis Blériot's first plane crossing. On this crossing, the average speed will be 33.3 knots.
2007
On 24 April, l'Hydroptère beat the speed record over one nautical mile: 41.69 knots. Record so far held by a windsurfer (Björn Dunkerbeck).
2008
L'Hydroptère was the first yacht to pass the mythical 50 knot mark, and even peaked at over 100 km/hour (61 knots) before capsizing off Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhone (December 21).
2009
In Hyères harbour, l'Hydroptère once again beat the absolute speed record for sailing over 500 m with a sprint at 51.36 knots.
2010
The hydrofoil, renamed DCNS after its new sponsor, is turning towards the open sea with the ambition of setting records in the open sea.
2012
The trimaran is transported to California with a view to setting a record between the West Coast of America and Hawaii.
2015
After a first aborted test in 2014, l'Hydroptère is once again taking on the Pacific. She will reach Hawaii after more than 11 days of sailing (the record to be beaten is 3 days...). Following this navigation, the boat was abandoned in a port on Honolulu.
2019
As recounted in our topic On June 28th, l'Hydroptère is bought at auction by Gabriel Terrasse (FRA) and Chris Welsh (USA) who want to sail her again as soon as possible.
Boat characteristics :
- Length: 18.24 m
- Wingspan: 24.50 m
- Mast height: 27.00 m
- Lengths of the side foils: 6.50 m
- Rudder height: 3.60 m
- Weight at sea : 7 tons ( 800 Kg of ballast in the wind)
VOILURE
