The new design for the AC75s is an engineering marvel. Nevertheless, I am having an argument with myself whether they are works of genius or folly. More specifically whether carbon fiber and foils will have any practical application to real-world sailing or if they are just rich men’s do-dads. While I argue with myself, here are two videos discussing how these amazing creations actually fly.
I think as carbon fiber becomes more affordable this technology will trickle down to other boats but it is going to take a while. I just think of how F1 tech slowly comes down to luxury cars and years later economy cars.
Fun to watch, funner than the cats and I like multihulls. AC has always been a rich man’s game like F1 racing. So when will we see small boats with foils? I think small open racing monohulls will happen pretty soon. Looks like fun and I think for fun’s sake someone will step up and design one.
I’m 68, and I remember as a young boy, seeing small power boats with what looked like waterskis under the hull and the boats sitting high almost out of the water. Was that the beginning?