Launching
Alain Thébault : "we will be able to fly over Lake Geneva"
The prototype l’Hydroptère.ch, a 35’ foil catamaran, presented in Switzerland
mardi 24 août 2010 –
Toutes les versions de cet article : [English] [français]
Alain Thébault, founder and pilot of the Hydroptère project and Jean-Mathieu Bourgeon, scientific manager of the project, accompanied by their Design Team, unveiled on Monday their new prototype, l’Hydroptère.ch, a 35ft catamaran at the Decision SA shipyard in Ecublens (Switzerland) which will soon be launched on Lake Geneva.
In 2009, l’Hydroptère, the 60ft trimaran, became the fastest sailing craft in the world when she bet two absolute sailing speed records i.e. 51.36 knots (95 km/h) over 500 metres and 50.17 knots (93 km/h) over one nautical mile. These are milestones in the history of sailing. l’Hydroptère.ch follows the same principle. As a trial lab, she will help conceiving l’Hydroptère maxi whose purpose is to beat the most famous oceanic records and to follow Jules Verne’s vision : Flying around the planet.
Three boats to attempt all major records : Pure speed, Atlantic crossing, Pacific crossing and circumnavigation.
– Alain Thébault : « This christening is a very important day for the team and for myself. I am proud and moved. l’Hydroptère.ch is the result of years of studies and sailing sessions on l’Hydroptère but also of the work and the commitment of an extraordinary team. After a few weeks of adjustments and finish- works, we will be able to fly over Lake Geneva. l’Hydroptère is an extraordinary human and technological adventure and l’Hydroptère.ch follows the same principle. As a lab boat designed to conceive l’Hydroptère maxi, this catamaran will help testing a new geometry and especially the configuration with two rudders. The objective of this hybrid sailing boat : The versatility. Sailing nearly as fast as Archimedean traditional boats and achieving higher speeds in flight. First on Lake Geneva, then in the Mediterranean and abroad, l’Hydroptère.ch should give answers to precise questions related to flight dynamics and she will be an ambassador of the cross-frontier collaboration. »
– Patrick Aebischer, supporter of l’Hydroptère.ch broke a bottle of Champagne at the end of the press conference and evoked the links that gathered the EPFL and the Hydroptère project from 2006 : ”The researches carried out at the EPFL have already contributed to the two records beaten by the team last year. l’Hydroptère.ch is a new step in this collaboration. This sailing boat is an opportunity for the committed researchers to validate the developments they do and to experiment in real conditions the innovative solutions to extend the existing limits in many fields of activities. This project is really motivating for the researchers as well as for the students who are involved in it”.
– Info presse Marlène Colegrave / www.hydroptere.com
Voir en ligne : Photo(s) Gilles Martin-Raget / www.martin-raget.com
Dans la même rubrique
-
en : SailGP Championship 2025
SailGP Germany : Les Bleus win their first event of the 2025 Season
In a stunning weekend comeback, the France SailGP Team claimed their first event win of the 2025 Season – bouncing back from near-disaster in practice to beat the BONDS Flying Roos and Emirates GBR in an action-packed winner-takes-all Final. -
fr : Foiling catamarans
2025 TF35 season : Julien Firmenich’s Ylliam 17 claimed victory in Nyon
Julien Firmenich’s Ylliam 17 claimed victory this weekend at the opening event of the 2025 TF35 season in Nyon, marking their first-ever regatta win since joining the fleet in 2023. Sailing alongside Firmenich were tactician Guillaume Rol and crew members Ed Powys, Stewart Dodson, Matthieu Ravussin, and Nelson Mettraux. -
en : Foiling cats • Switzerland
TF35 Trophy 2024 : Sails of Change 8 secures season title
The 2024 TF35 season came to a quiet close at the Société Nautique de Genève, as calm conditions on Lake Geneva persisted for a second consecutive day, preventing any further racing. -
en : Paris 2024 • Marseille
Olympic Sailing 2024 : Italian Crew Defend Olympic Title in Mixed Multihull
Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti retained their Olympic title in the Mixed Multihull with a dazzling display in Marseille. The Italian crew picked up the gold medal in Tokyo and looked set to replicate that feat in France, winning half the races that took place in the Opening Series. Heading into the Medal Race, Tita and Banti had at least a (…) -
en : Foiling catamarans
TF35 Trophy 2023 : Realteam Sailing, skippered by Jérôme Clerc, claim the annual Trophy
With only two races sailed due to light winds on the final day of the TF35 Malcesine Cup 1, Realteam Sailing, skippered by Jérôme Clerc, who have clinched the victory at every event of the 2023 season, claim the annual TF35 Trophy with one event remaining. -
en : Inshore Racing | GC32
GC32 Racing Tour 2023 : Rockwool’s Lagos GC32 masterclass
Four days of racing at the GC32 Lagos Cup came to a conclusion today on Portugal’s Algarve coast with a run-away victory for the Nicolai Sehested-skippered Team Rockwool Racing. Out of 15 races sailed, the Danish SailGP crew won a phenomenal ten, including an opening day of five races when they were unbeaten. In fact Thursday was the only one (…)
A la une
Articles les plus récents
-
fr : ORMA
Russell Coutts teste le trimaran de Franck Cammas
Dans un peu plus d’un mois, l’IB Group Challenge, dont le départ est prévu le 8 mai prochain à Lorient, donnera le coup d’envoi du championnat ORMA 2005. En attendant, les skippers et leurs équipages préparent la saison à venir et s’entraînent. C’est ainsi que cette semaine, Franck Cammas, Michel Desjoyeaux, Pascal Bidégorry et Frédéric Le (…) -
fr : Figaro • Trophée BPE
Charles Caudrelier remporte le prologue à St Nazaire
Charles Caudrelier (Bostik) s’est adjugé le prologue devant Samantha Davies (Skandia) et Jeanne Grégoire (Banque Populaire). C’était Charlie et les drôles de dames, pour une bande-annonce très réussie avant le grand spectacle de dimanche. -
fr : Construction amateur
C’est la quille pour le Banjo
Voilà le Banjo ! Le monocoque de Diane et Ronan Gélébart sort de son chantier après de longs mois de gestations. La construction du plan Rolland n’est pas terminée mais c’est un moment important que ses constructeurs nous dévoile lors de ce nouvelle épisode de la construction du Banjo. Le bateau est donc sorti de son nid douillet pour recevoir (…) -
fr : Trophée BPE • Saint-Nazaire - Cuba
Yannick Bestaven lance le match Ministe - Figariste
Souvenez-vous, en novembre 2001, Yannick Bestaven frappe un grand coup en remportant la Mini-Transat après deux superbes victoires d’étapes. Toujours soutenu par AQUARELLE.com, le skipper s’est lancé depuis sur le circuit Figaro. Dimanche 3 Avril, il prendra le départ du Trophée BPE, une transatlantique en solitaire entre Saint-Nazaire et Cuba. (…) -
fr : SeaSailSurfer du mois
La bande à Peyron SeaSailSurfer de mars 2005
Les SeaSailSurfers de mars 2005 sont 14 ! Il s’agit de Bruno Peyron, Roger Nilson, Yann Elies, Lionel Lemonchois, Bernard Stamm, Yves Le Blévec, Nicolas de Castro, Jean-Baptiste Epron, Ludo Aglaor, Jacques Caraës, Florent Chastel, Ronan Le Goff, Sébastien Audigane et Philippe Péché. -
fr : Spi Ouest France Bouygues Telecom
Vincent Riou remporte le Spi des Open 750
Hugues Destremau à la barre, Vincent Riou à la tactique se sont imposés sur les 20 Open 750Photos : Ch.Guigueno / Pipof.com/voileVincent Riou participait ce week end à l’incontournable Spi Ouest France. Invité par Hugues Destremau, le vainqueur du dernier Vendée Globe naviguait à bord de l’Open 7.50 Coincidence. Il s’impose au terme des six manches disputées dans la baie de Quiberon lors de ce long week-end pascal. -
en : Figaro • Trophée BPE
Sam Davies prepares solo transat to Cuba
On April 3rd at 1300BST Sam Davies will be on the start line of the Trophée BPE - her first solo transatlantic race onboard SKANDIA Figaro. Of the 12 competitors, Sam is the only British sailor taking part, and will be up against former Figaro winner Eric DROUGLAZET as well as Charles CAUDRELIER, winner of La Solitaire du Figaro last year. (…) -
fr : Pacifique à la rame
Le Pacifique en 72 jours pour Maud Fontenoy
Maud Fontenoy est arrivée à 14h 30 (heure Paris) - 03h 30 heure (heure locale) aux Iles Hiva Oa - Les Marquises - Polynésie Française. Elle a achevé en 72 jours sa traversée de l’Océan Pacifique à la rame, une première féminine sur un parcours équatorial de 6 898.70 km. Premiers commentaires... -
fr : Tour de Bretagne
Les Figaristes en double au départ de St Malo
Archive 2003 : Le dernier tour de Bretagne date de 2003Le Tour de Bretagne à la Voile avec Ouest-France fêtera son cinquième anniversaire en 2005. Devenu une classique du circuit Figaro Bénéteau depuis 9 ans (il se déroule tous les deux ans), le Tour de Bretagne à la Voile rassemblera encore des talents de la voile d’horizons très divers, de Saint-Malo à Lorient, en 5 étapes. -
en : Volvo Ocean Race
VO 70 “MoviStar” sails off Australia
The new VO70 leaves Newcastle to tackle the third leg of the Volvo Ocean RaceIn its first trans-oceanic voyage, the Spanish team leaves Australia sailing through Cape Horn en route to Brazil, clocking in 8.100 miles of navigation - 6.700 of them non-stop.
