Breaking the absolute sailing speed record
Thanks to Marc Amerigo - project leader of the Zephir Project - Antoine Albeau could become the fastest man in the world to sail . In collaboration with 80 experts and engineers from the worlds of Formula 1, aeronautics and aerospace, animated film, artificial intelligence and data science, he is working on the absolute speed record on the water under sail.
Developing the machine of the future
To do this, the team is working on a new machine that combines all the knowledge of the classic finned board and the foil at the air/water interface. This hybrid board will be able to accelerate continuously, almost without limit.
After several months of engineering, design and manufacturing of numerous prototypes, all tested at sea or in wind tunnels, and including measurement systems, the first major tests are scheduled for September 2021.
Today, the maximum speed of a windsurfer is 53.27 knots (record held by Albeau), against 65.45 knots for a boat. The gap is important! Several brakes prevent this excess speed:
- Friction of the hull on the water surface
- Ventilation phenomenon that causes the loss of support on the water
- Cavitation
- The sensitivity of the windfoil boards which do not allow to exceed 40 knots.
For each test, onboard sensors measure the board's GPS position, its flight height to within 2 cm, its tilt angles to within 0.03 degrees and its speed to within 0.1 km/h. These volumes of data are then analyzed by artificial intelligence to develop the board without brakes for an absolute glide.
First tests in September 2021
In September, Antoine Albeau will launch a first prototype of a flying board, with a shape and composition specifically dedicated to pure speed. Inside the board, an ultra-precise measurement system will be installed. It will use a wing resulting from research work as well as a very powerful foil system. It will also be equipped with a helmet and a special suit (speedsuit) with appendages to improve its aerodynamics.
His first objective will be to complete a maximum of 500m runs with the aim of passing the significant 40 knots average windfoil speed.
