Please select your home edition
Edition
Trinidad and Tobago - Sail Service Stay

SP80: Unveiling of the final boat design for the world speed record

by SP80 5 Apr 2022 11:13 BST
SP80's final boat design for the world speed record unveiled © SP80

From concept to reality

Established in 2018, SP80 has been coordinating the critical stage of the boat production over the last 6 months. This spaceship-like sailboat has been designed to reach 80 knots (150km/h), shattering the world sailing speed record. Limited by confidentiality requirements, the Swiss company has so far only shown a concept that allows viewers to understand the boat's operating principles, without revealing any definitive design elements.

Today, the construction has advanced to the stage where the team feels ready to reveal the final design. While the principles remain the same - an extraordinary sailboat towed by a kite - the boat will be bigger than the initial concept (i.e. 10m long and 7m wide). With a sleeker shape and stretched, aggressive lines, other elements have also been refined to increase the stability of the structure; a key point in the record-breaking strategy defended by SP80. The young Swiss company is on its way to redefine the architectural codes of the sailing world.

A cockpit with room for two

Freshly finished by the renowned shipyard Persico Marine, the main hull will arrive in April to SP80's premises in Renens (Switzerland). This first part reveals a crucial element of the cockpit: it can take two pilots on board. One will pilot the kite while the other will steer the boat.

"Very early in our development phase, it was clear that being alone on board was not an option to accelerate safely up to 80 knots.", says Benoît Gaudiot, co-founder and pilot. "At 150 km/h, it is essential to be focused on one task! We will thus have a pilot steering the kite, while a co-pilot will ensure the boat's trajectory. However, at low speeds, that is around 30 knots, the boat can be sailed solo, which will allow us to welcome passengers onboard to experience something extraordinary !"

At 80 knots, it is critical to ensure maximum safety for the pilots. The cockpit has been designed to withstand accelerations of up to 50G! It has also been reinforced with Kevlar to protect its occupants from possible carbon shards in the event of a crash. As a boat sailing at 150km/h on water is equivalent to a Formula 1 on land, the drivers will be equipped accordingly: bucket seats, 6 point-harnesses and helmets. In case of emergency, they will also have oxygen masks at their disposal, something that has never been seen before in the sailing world!

Calendar and next steps

While the shipyard continues the construction of the beam and floats, the SP80 team will take over the main hull and integrate all the mechanical systems. The final assembly of the boat is scheduled for next autumn with an official launch before the end of 2022. After a few months of optimisation and testing, the first record attempts will take place in summer 2023 in the south of France.

Guided by strong values, the company has already secured several notable partnerships. The team is currently beginning its final partnership search campaign. Investigations are focused on Swiss brands, with the goal to create collaborations that go beyond sponsorship agreements.

"Thanks to our current partners, we have been able to realise this revolutionary boat with a launch date later this autumn.", says Mayeul van den Broek, co-founder and project manager. "2023 will be a decisive year, with the final preparations to break the 80 knots record and make sailing history. We are currently looking for the last financial and technical partnerships to take the adventure to the finish line. The whole team is so proud to see this concept becoming a reality and we can't wait to finally unveil and test our final design on the water!"

Related Articles

SP80 reaches a new milestone
In pursuit of World Sailing Speed Record The Swiss team chasing the world sailing speed record has achieved a new milestone. Training since late 2023 in Leucate (South of France), the team recorded a new top speed of 40+ knots (74 km/h) with its kite-powered boat this summer. Posted on 4 Sep
First steps with the record kiteboat for SP80 team
The pilots were able to make their very first run with a kite Over the last few weeks, the SP80 team has connected a small kite to its boat and the pilots were able to make their very first run. Posted on 21 Dec 2023
SP80 boat touches water for the first time
Aiming to reach 80 knots (150 kph) solely driven by the wind The SP80 sailboat, aiming to reach 80 knots (150 kph) solely driven by the wind, was launched on Lake Geneva for a first session of towed tests. Posted on 11 Aug 2023
SP80's location for the world speed record
Leucate and Grand Narbonne are partnering up SP80, the challenge chasing the World Sailing Speed Record, the town of Leucate and the Agglomeration of Grand Narbonne are officially announcing a partnership to make Leucate the official record base for the Swiss team. Posted on 7 Apr 2023
SP80 starts building its boat to reach 80 knots
The Swiss company has appointed Persico Marine for this unique machine The Swiss company has entrusted the Italian shipyard Persico Marine, who will apply a different approach to what is usually done in the maritime industry: building a boat with TPT® carbon kits. Posted on 11 Aug 2021
Swiss World Sailing Speed Record prototype
A key development stage for SP80 on Lake Geneva Today the team, composed of more than forty engineers and students from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), conducts test after test on Lake Geneva with a prototype scaled down to 1/2 of the final boat. Posted on 5 Nov 2020
Swiss engineers to design the fastest sailboat
SP80 is the Swiss challenge powered by a kite wing Three young engineers from the Swiss engineering school EPFL have decided to design the fastest sailboat over a 500m track and enter sailing history. Posted on 19 Nov 2019