Ratickle
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This one is hard to believe.
Vestas Boat Sets Speed Record for Fastest Wind-Powered Craft
By Alex Morales - Nov 20, 2012 5:03 AM ET
Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS), the biggest wind turbine maker, said the Sailrocket 2 boat it sponsors set two sailing records, becoming the fastest wind-powered vessel.
Sailrocket 2 set the best average speed recorded over a 500-meter (1,640-feet) stretch of water, posting a mark of 59.23 knots (109 kilometers an hour) that eclipsed the previous best of 55.65 knots set in 2010 by American kite surfer Rob Douglas, Vestas said today in a statement on its website.
“The boat was really flying across the water today,” project leader Paul Larsen said in the statement. “Everything came together perfectly and it’s amazing to have finally broken the world record.”
Vestas Sailrocket 2 was designed and built at the Danish company’s technology facility in the Isle of Wight. On the same run in Namibia’s Walvis Bay, the craft also broke the nautical mile record with an average of more than 55 knots, the company said. Both records are subject to ratification by the World Speed Sailing Record Council.
Vestas didn’t disclose the value of its sponsorship. The company is struggling to return to profitability after posting a loss in 2011 for the first time since 2005. The turbine maker is almost halfway through a 2-year program that will see it reduce headcount by about 30 percent through job cuts, failing to fill vacancies and selling factories.
To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net
The Vestas Sailrocket 2 has broken the world speed sailing record after reaching 59.23 knots (109.69 km/h) over 500 metres, in Walvis Bay, Namibia.
While the fastest kiteboarders and windsurfers are improving their speed records in the raceway of Luderitz, the super fast yacht Vestas Sailrocket 2 was trying to set a new mark, in Walvis Bay, only 500 kilometres away.
The Vestas Sailrocket 2 was speeding up on the 13th attempt, in moderate 25-knot winds, when the new world speed sailing record arrived.
Paul Larsen and his sailing craft averaged 59.23 knots over the record 500 meter course and peaked at over 63 knots. After 10 years of hard work and constant fine-tuning, he did it.
"We are buzzing. No one has done this with a sailing boat before. This shows how unique and revolutionary the boat is", explains Paul Larsen.
The previous speed sailing record belonged to Rob Douglas, from the USA, with 55.65 knots over 500 metres. Now, the 60 knots (111.12 knots) are nearer and Africa proves its conditions for velocity over flat waters.
The Vestas Sailrocket 2 is a revolutionary sailing boat built on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.
59.23 kn = 68.161 mph......................63 kn = 72.499 mph
Vestas Boat Sets Speed Record for Fastest Wind-Powered Craft
By Alex Morales - Nov 20, 2012 5:03 AM ET
Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS), the biggest wind turbine maker, said the Sailrocket 2 boat it sponsors set two sailing records, becoming the fastest wind-powered vessel.
Sailrocket 2 set the best average speed recorded over a 500-meter (1,640-feet) stretch of water, posting a mark of 59.23 knots (109 kilometers an hour) that eclipsed the previous best of 55.65 knots set in 2010 by American kite surfer Rob Douglas, Vestas said today in a statement on its website.
“The boat was really flying across the water today,” project leader Paul Larsen said in the statement. “Everything came together perfectly and it’s amazing to have finally broken the world record.”
Vestas Sailrocket 2 was designed and built at the Danish company’s technology facility in the Isle of Wight. On the same run in Namibia’s Walvis Bay, the craft also broke the nautical mile record with an average of more than 55 knots, the company said. Both records are subject to ratification by the World Speed Sailing Record Council.
Vestas didn’t disclose the value of its sponsorship. The company is struggling to return to profitability after posting a loss in 2011 for the first time since 2005. The turbine maker is almost halfway through a 2-year program that will see it reduce headcount by about 30 percent through job cuts, failing to fill vacancies and selling factories.
To contact the reporter on this story: Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at landberg@bloomberg.net
The Vestas Sailrocket 2 has broken the world speed sailing record after reaching 59.23 knots (109.69 km/h) over 500 metres, in Walvis Bay, Namibia.
While the fastest kiteboarders and windsurfers are improving their speed records in the raceway of Luderitz, the super fast yacht Vestas Sailrocket 2 was trying to set a new mark, in Walvis Bay, only 500 kilometres away.
The Vestas Sailrocket 2 was speeding up on the 13th attempt, in moderate 25-knot winds, when the new world speed sailing record arrived.
Paul Larsen and his sailing craft averaged 59.23 knots over the record 500 meter course and peaked at over 63 knots. After 10 years of hard work and constant fine-tuning, he did it.
"We are buzzing. No one has done this with a sailing boat before. This shows how unique and revolutionary the boat is", explains Paul Larsen.
The previous speed sailing record belonged to Rob Douglas, from the USA, with 55.65 knots over 500 metres. Now, the 60 knots (111.12 knots) are nearer and Africa proves its conditions for velocity over flat waters.
The Vestas Sailrocket 2 is a revolutionary sailing boat built on the Isle of Wight, United Kingdom.
59.23 kn = 68.161 mph......................63 kn = 72.499 mph
