Speed sailing record
Encyclopedia
Speed sailing
records are sanctioned, since 1972, by the World Sailing Speed Record Council
(WSSRC). Records are measured either by average speed over a specified distance or by total distance traveled during a specified time interval. The three most sought after records are the:
The idea of an instantaneous speed record is not officially sanctioned by the WSSRC and is, therefore, not officially measured or documented. The highest speed ever reported is from the crew of l'Hydroptère. During an attempt on 21 December 2008 at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, they recorded a top speed of approximately 61 knots during a 45 knot gust of wind. This heavy gust of wind overpowered the sailboat, causing it to capsize at high speed. The crew sustained only minor injuries.
Speed sailing
Speed sailing is the art of sailing a craft as fast as possible over a predetermined route, and having its overall or peak speed recorded and accredited by a regulatory body. The term usually refers to sailing on water, even though sailing on land and ice is progressively faster because of the...
records are sanctioned, since 1972, by the World Sailing Speed Record Council
World Sailing Speed Record Council
The World Sailing Speed Record Council, founded in 1972, is the body authorized by the International Sailing Federation to confirm speed records of sailing crafts on water . In the early years the council only dealt with claims of speed records on a one-way leg of 500 metres...
(WSSRC). Records are measured either by average speed over a specified distance or by total distance traveled during a specified time interval. The three most sought after records are the:
- 500 Meter or "Outright" record
- Nautical MileNautical mileThe nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
record. - 24 Hour Distance record
The idea of an instantaneous speed record is not officially sanctioned by the WSSRC and is, therefore, not officially measured or documented. The highest speed ever reported is from the crew of l'Hydroptère. During an attempt on 21 December 2008 at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, they recorded a top speed of approximately 61 knots during a 45 knot gust of wind. This heavy gust of wind overpowered the sailboat, causing it to capsize at high speed. The crew sustained only minor injuries.
500 Meter Records
| Date | Craft | Skipper | Location | Speed (knots) | Speed (km/h) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Oct 2010 | Kitesurf | Robert Douglas USA | Lüderitz Lüderitz Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :... , NAM |
55.65 | 103.06 | |
| 28 Oct 2010 | Kitesurf | Sebastien Cattelan FRA | Lüderitz Lüderitz Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :... , NAM |
55.49 | 102.76 | 14 minutes before Robert Douglas' record. Homologated by the WSSRC. |
| 12 Oct 2010 | Kitesurf | Alexandre Caizergues FRA | Lüderitz Lüderitz Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :... , NAM |
54.10 | 100.19 | First record above 100 km/h |
| 4 Sept 2009 | l'Hydroptère - hydrofoil trimaran | Alain Thébault Alain Thébault Alain Thébault is a French yachtsman and skipper of l'Hydroptère.With Éric Tabarly, he participated in the conception of a multihull on hydrofoils, named l'Hydroptère, with a team of engineers, many of them from the aeronautics industry.The project started in 1975 and a model on a one-third scale... FRA |
Hyères Hyères Hyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.... FRA |
51.36 | 95.11 | Nautical mile record broken on the same run. An instantaneous maximum speed of 55 knots was recorded. |
| 2008 | Kitesurf | Alexandre Caizergues FRA | Lüderitz Lüderitz Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :... , NAM |
50.57 | 93.65 | |
| 2008 | Kitesurf | Sebastien Cattelan FRA | Luderitz, NAM | 50.26 | 93.08 | First record above 50 knots |
| 2008 | Kitesurf | Robert Douglas USA | Luderitz, NAM | 49.84 | 92.30 | |
| 2008 | Windsurf | Antoine Albeau Antoine Albeau Antoine Albeau is a French windsurfer who holds eleven Windsurfing World Championships in different disciplines since 1994.Born on June 17, 1972 in La Rochelle, France, Albeau set a new all–category world windpowered sailing speed record on March 5, 2008 with 49.09 knots on a 500 meter course at... FRA |
Stes.Maries Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is the capital of the Camargue in the south of France. It is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department by the Mediterranean Sea. Population: 2,478... , FRA |
49.09 | 90.91 | |
| 2005 | Windsurf | Finian Maynard Finian Maynard Finian Maynard is a six-time speed windsurfing world champion and held the absolute 500m sailing speed record for sailing vessels from late 2004 until early 2008.... IRL |
Stes.Maries, FRA | 48.70 | 90.19 | |
| 2004 | Windsurf | Finian Maynard Finian Maynard Finian Maynard is a six-time speed windsurfing world champion and held the absolute 500m sailing speed record for sailing vessels from late 2004 until early 2008.... IRL |
Stes.Maries, FRA | 46.82 | 86.71 | |
| 1993 | Yellow Pages Endeavour Yellow Pages Endeavour The Yellow Pages Endeavour, or YPE, is an Australian sailboat designed for speed sailing, which held the outright 500 meter world record from October, 1993 to November, 2004, when it was taken by windsurfer Finian Maynard; the YPE still holds the C class record... - proa |
Simon McKeon Simon Mckeon Simon McKeon is an Australian businessman, philanthropist and sportsman. On 25 January 2011 he was named Australian of the Year for 2011 by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.- Business :... AUS |
Sandy Point Sandy Point, Victoria Sandy Point is a township in south Gippsland, Victoria near Wilsons Promontory. At the 2006 census, Sandy Point had a population of 227, growing to several thousand during the holiday period. It is surrounded by areas of significant natural heritage.... , AUS |
46.52 | 86.15 | |
| 1991 | Windsurf | Thierry Bielak FRA | Stes.Maries, FRA | 44.66 | 82.71 | |
| 1990 | Windsurf | Pascal Maka Pascal Maka Pascal Maka is a French windsurfer, who broke the outright speed sailing record in 1986, and again in 1990.Maka broke the outright speed sailing record in 1986, at Sotavento, Fuerteventura, with a speed of 38.86 knots, using a Jimmy Lewis board and a Gaastra sail... FRA |
Stes.Maries, FRA | 43.06 | 79.74 | |
| 1988 | Windsurf | Erik Beale GBR | Stes.Maries, FRA | 40.48 | 74.96 | |
| 1986 | Windsurf | Pascal Maka FRA | Sotavento, SP | 38.86 | 71.96 | |
| 1980 | Crossbow II catamaran | Tim Colman Timothy Colman Sir Timothy James Alan Colman KG is a British businessman and a previous Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter in 1996. He is married to Lady Mary Colman , niece of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and lives in Bixley Manor near Norwich.Sir Timothy is... GBR |
Portland, UK | 36.00 | 66.67 | |
| 1977 | Crossbow II catamaran | Tim Colman GBR | Portland, UK | 34.40 | 63.70 | |
| 1977 | Crossbow II catamaran | Tim Colman GBR | Portland, UK | 33.80 | 62.59 | |
| 1975 | Crossbow II catamaran | Tim Colman GBR | Portland, UK | 31.80 | 58.89 | |
| 1975 | Crossbow proa | Tim Colman GBR | Portland, UK | 31.10 | 57.59 | |
| 1973 | Crossbow proa | Tim Colman GBR | Portland, UK | 29.30 | 54.26 | |
| 1972 | Crossbow proa | Tim Colman GBR | Portland, UK | 26.30 | 48.70 |
Class Records
Last updated: 21 October 2010.| Category | Date | Craft | Skipper | Location | Speed (knots) | Speed (km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D Class (Over 300 ft²) | 4 Sept 2009 | l'Hydroptère | Alain Thébault Alain Thébault Alain Thébault is a French yachtsman and skipper of l'Hydroptère.With Éric Tabarly, he participated in the conception of a multihull on hydrofoils, named l'Hydroptère, with a team of engineers, many of them from the aeronautics industry.The project started in 1975 and a model on a one-third scale... FRA |
Hyères Hyères Hyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.... FRA |
51.36 | 95.11 |
| C Class (Up to 300 ft² (27.88 m²)) | 2009 | Macquarie Innovation | Simon McKeon AUS | Sandy Point Sandy Point -Locations in Australia:*Sandy Point, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney*Sandy Point, Victoria-Locations in Canada:*Sandy Point, Newfoundland and Labrador, now an island due to erosion* Sandy Point, Nova Scotia, a town at the southern tip of the peninsula... , AUS |
50.07 | 92.72 |
| B Class (Up to 235 ft² (21.84 m²)) | 2008 | Vestas Sailrocket Vestas Sailrocket The Vestas Sailrocket was built to capture the sailing speed record and is piloted by the project leader Paul Larsen. It holds the B-class speed sailing record with a speed over a 500m distance of 47.36 knots .... |
Paul Larsen AUS | Walvis Bay Walvis Bay Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies... , NAM |
47.36 | 87.71 |
| A Class (Up to 150 ft² (13.93 m²)) | 1992 | Longshot | Russel Long USA | Tarifa Tarifa Tarifa is a small town in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia, on the southernmost coast of Spain. The town is located on the Costa de la Luz and across the Straits of Gibraltar facing Morocco. The municipality includes Punta de Tarifa, the southernmost point in continental Europe. There are five... , SP |
43.55 | 80.65 |
| 10 m² (Up to 10 m²) | 2008 | Windsurfer | Antoine Albeau FRA | Stes.Maries, FRA | 49.09 | 90.91 |
| Kite Sailing | 2010 | Kitesurfer | Robert Douglas USA | Lüderitz Lüderitz Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :... , NAM |
55.65 | 103.06 |
Nautical Mile Records
| Date | Craft | Skipper | Location | Speed (knots) | Speed (km/h) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 nov 2009 | l'Hydroptère | Alain Thébault Alain Thébault Alain Thébault is a French yachtsman and skipper of l'Hydroptère.With Éric Tabarly, he participated in the conception of a multihull on hydrofoils, named l'Hydroptère, with a team of engineers, many of them from the aeronautics industry.The project started in 1975 and a model on a one-third scale... FRA |
Hyères Hyères Hyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.... FRA |
50,17 | 92,91 | . |
| 4 Sept 2009 | l'Hydroptère | Alain Thébault FRA | Hyères Hyères Hyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.... FRA |
48.72 | 90.23 | 500 Meter record broken on the same run. |
| Oct 2008 | l'Hydroptère | Alain Thébault FRA | Port Saint-Louis Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-History:The commune was created in 1904 from Arles and Fos-sur-Mer on which its history is dependent. The Saint-Louis channel was dug in 1871... FRA |
43.09 | 79.80 | |
| April 2007 | l'Hydroptère | Alain Thébault FRA | Baie de Quiberon FRA | 41.69 | 77.21 | |
| October 2006 | Windsurfer | Bjorn Dunkerbeck Björn Dunkerbeck Björn Dunkerbeck is a professional windsurfer who has won Professional Windsurfers Association Overall World Championships a record twelve times.... ND |
Walvis bay Walvis Bay Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies... , Namibia |
41.14 | 76.19 | |
| October 2005 | Windsurfer | Finian Maynard Finian Maynard Finian Maynard is a six-time speed windsurfing world champion and held the absolute 500m sailing speed record for sailing vessels from late 2004 until early 2008.... IRL |
Walvis bay Walvis Bay Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies... , Namibia |
39.97 | 74.02 | |
| November 2004 | Windsurfer | Bjorn Dunkerbeck Björn Dunkerbeck Björn Dunkerbeck is a professional windsurfer who has won Professional Windsurfers Association Overall World Championships a record twelve times.... ND |
Port Saint-Louis Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-History:The commune was created in 1904 from Arles and Fos-sur-Mer on which its history is dependent. The Saint-Louis channel was dug in 1871... FRA |
34.44 | 63.78 | |
| July 2003 | Windsurfer | Bjorn Dunkerbeck Björn Dunkerbeck Björn Dunkerbeck is a professional windsurfer who has won Professional Windsurfers Association Overall World Championships a record twelve times.... ND |
Aringa, Grand Canaria | 33.96 | 62.89 |
24 Hour Distance Records
| Date | Distance (nmi Nautical mile The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator... ) | Avg speed (knots) | Skipper(s) | Boat | Type | Crew | Location and event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 August 2009 | 908 | 37.84 | Pascal Bidégorry Pascal Bidegorry Pascal Bidégorry, born the 15th January 1968 in Bayonne , is a french yachtsman and sailing champion.He entered the Team Banque Populaire in 2004 as the skipper of the trimaran Banque Populaire IV.... FRA |
Banque Populaire V Banque Populaire V The offshore-racing trimaran Banque Populaire V is Team Banque Populaire's fifth boat designed to set oceanic records. She was launched on October 4, 2008 in Nantes, France.... |
trimaran Trimaran A trimaran is a multihulled boat consisting of a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls , attached to the main hull with lateral struts... 40 meters |
12 members | During successful attempt to break the record of the northern Atlantic Transatlantic sailing record Since the five-weeks voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, crossing the Atlantic, fast and safely, between Europe and America has always been an important issue. Today, the route has become a classic one among skippers... . |
| 20 July 2007 | 794 | 33.08 | Franck Cammas Franck Cammas Franck Cammas is a French yachtsman. He has lived in Brittany since his victory in the Challenge Espoir Crédit Agricole in 1994. After completing a two year maths course for the ‘Grandes écoles’, as well as a piano academy, Franck Cammas finally opted for a career in sailing... FRA |
Groupama 3 Groupama 3 Groupama 3 is a French maxi-multihull sailing yacht designed for transoceanic record-setting. It is one of the fastest ocean-going sailing vessels in the world, and is the current holder of the Jules Verne Trophy... |
trimaran Trimaran A trimaran is a multihulled boat consisting of a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls , attached to the main hull with lateral struts... 103 feet |
10 members | During successful attempt to break the record of the northern Atlantic Transatlantic sailing record Since the five-weeks voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, crossing the Atlantic, fast and safely, between Europe and America has always been an important issue. Today, the route has become a classic one among skippers... . |
| 3 July 2006 | 766.8 | 31.95 | Bruno Peyron Bruno Peyron Bruno Tristan Peyron is a French yachtsman who, along with his crew on the catamaran Orange II, broke the outright round-the-world sailing record in March 2005. He was the first winner of the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994, for completing a round-the-world trip in under 80 days... FRA |
Orange II Orange II Orange II is a large catamaran designed for ocean racing, a "maxicat". The boat is 36.80 m long and has a 45 m mast. It is one of the fastest ocean-going sailing vessels in the world... |
catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 120 feet |
... | During successful attempt to break the record of the northern Atlantic Transatlantic sailing record Since the five-weeks voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, crossing the Atlantic, fast and safely, between Europe and America has always been an important issue. Today, the route has become a classic one among skippers... . |
| 2004 | 706.2 | 29.43 | Bruno Peyron Bruno Peyron Bruno Tristan Peyron is a French yachtsman who, along with his crew on the catamaran Orange II, broke the outright round-the-world sailing record in March 2005. He was the first winner of the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994, for completing a round-the-world trip in under 80 days... FRA |
Orange II Orange II Orange II is a large catamaran designed for ocean racing, a "maxicat". The boat is 36.80 m long and has a 45 m mast. It is one of the fastest ocean-going sailing vessels in the world... |
catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 120 feet |
... | |
| 2002 | 694.78 | 28.95 | A. Cahalan, H. Darvelid and B. Thompson | Maiden 2 ex Club Med | catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 110 feet |
... | |
| 2001 | 687.17 | 28.63 | Steve Fossett Steve Fossett James Stephen Fossett was an American commodities trader, businessman, and adventurer. Fossett is the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon... USA |
Playstation Playstation (yacht) PlayStation is one of several large catamarans created for the 2000 around the world race known as The Race. Like its competitors, PlayStation was created for sheer speed, pushing the state of the art in materials, construction, and operation... |
catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 125 feet |
... | |
| 2001 | 655.2 | 27.30 | Grant Dalton NZ | Club Med | catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 110 feet |
... | |
| 2001 | 629.5 | 26.23 | Loick Peyron Loïck Peyron Loïck Peyron, born 1 December 1959 in Nantes, is a French yachtsman, younger brother of the yachtsman Bruno Peyron.He is particularly famous for winning many races in the 1990s on board his trimaran Fujicolor... FRA |
Innovation Explorer | catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 110 feet |
13 members | During The Race The Race (yachting race) The Race was a round-the-world sailing race starting in Barcelona, Spain on December 31, 2000. It was the first ever non-stop, no-rules, no-limits, round-the-world sailing event, with a $2 million US prize... (event). |
| 11 June 2000 | 625.7 | 26.07 | Bruno Peyron Bruno Peyron Bruno Tristan Peyron is a French yachtsman who, along with his crew on the catamaran Orange II, broke the outright round-the-world sailing record in March 2005. He was the first winner of the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994, for completing a round-the-world trip in under 80 days... FRA and Grant Dalton NZ |
Club Med | catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 110 feet |
14 members | Qualification for The Race The Race (yachting race) The Race was a round-the-world sailing race starting in Barcelona, Spain on December 31, 2000. It was the first ever non-stop, no-rules, no-limits, round-the-world sailing event, with a $2 million US prize... , crossing the northern Atlantic from east to west |
| 1999 | 590.23 | 24.59 | Steve Fossett Steve Fossett James Stephen Fossett was an American commodities trader, businessman, and adventurer. Fossett is the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon... USA |
Playstation Playstation (yacht) PlayStation is one of several large catamarans created for the 2000 around the world race known as The Race. Like its competitors, PlayStation was created for sheer speed, pushing the state of the art in materials, construction, and operation... |
catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 105 feet |
... | |
| 1994 | 547.3 | 22.80 | Bruno Peyron Bruno Peyron Bruno Tristan Peyron is a French yachtsman who, along with his crew on the catamaran Orange II, broke the outright round-the-world sailing record in March 2005. He was the first winner of the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994, for completing a round-the-world trip in under 80 days... FRA |
Explorer | catamaran Catamaran A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas... 86 feet |
... | |
| 1994 | 540 | 22.50 | Laurent Bourgnon FRA | Primagaz | trimaran Trimaran A trimaran is a multihulled boat consisting of a main hull and two smaller outrigger hulls , attached to the main hull with lateral struts... 60 feet |
... |
See also
- World Sailing Speed Record CouncilWorld Sailing Speed Record CouncilThe World Sailing Speed Record Council, founded in 1972, is the body authorized by the International Sailing Federation to confirm speed records of sailing crafts on water . In the early years the council only dealt with claims of speed records on a one-way leg of 500 metres...
- Speed sailingSpeed sailingSpeed sailing is the art of sailing a craft as fast as possible over a predetermined route, and having its overall or peak speed recorded and accredited by a regulatory body. The term usually refers to sailing on water, even though sailing on land and ice is progressively faster because of the...
- Transatlantic sailing recordTransatlantic sailing recordSince the five-weeks voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, crossing the Atlantic, fast and safely, between Europe and America has always been an important issue. Today, the route has become a classic one among skippers...
- Day's runDay's runA Day's run is the distance traveled by a vessel in one day, usually reckoned from noon to noon.- Records :The Champion of the Seas sailed noon to noon December 10-11, 1854...
External links and references
- http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=78&Itemid=18records on 500m on the World Sailing Speed Record CouncilWorld Sailing Speed Record CouncilThe World Sailing Speed Record Council, founded in 1972, is the body authorized by the International Sailing Federation to confirm speed records of sailing crafts on water . In the early years the council only dealt with claims of speed records on a one-way leg of 500 metres...
site] - http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=20records on 1 nautical mile on the World Sailing Speed Record CouncilWorld Sailing Speed Record CouncilThe World Sailing Speed Record Council, founded in 1972, is the body authorized by the International Sailing Federation to confirm speed records of sailing crafts on water . In the early years the council only dealt with claims of speed records on a one-way leg of 500 metres...
site] - http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=21records on 24 hours distance on the World Sailing Speed Record CouncilWorld Sailing Speed Record CouncilThe World Sailing Speed Record Council, founded in 1972, is the body authorized by the International Sailing Federation to confirm speed records of sailing crafts on water . In the early years the council only dealt with claims of speed records on a one-way leg of 500 metres...
site] - L'Hydroptère record at 51,36 knots, the 4th of september 2009, on Youtube
- L'Hydroptère site
- Vestas Sailrocket site
- Macquarie Innovation site
- Banque Populaire V site
- Crossbow I and II on the Dave Culp SpeedSailing site