Candela Seven
Farcot didn’t just get the patent, he actually made his design work, becoming the first person to ever fly over water. Farcot’s work formed the basis for subsequent developments by Italian engineer Enrico Forlanini, who was awarded British and U.S. patents for his improved hydrofoils back in 1898. Even telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell got into the act with his own hydrofoil designs, his work culminating in the Bell HD-4. Using a pair of Renault engines, the HD-4 achieved an incredible top-speed of 54 mph during testing. Further design tweaks, including new 350hp engines borrowed from the U.S. Navy, allowed Bell’s HD-4 to set a world marine speed record of 70.8 mph on September 9, 1919 — a mark which stood for more than 20 years. The second world war brought hydrofoil development to an abrupt halt, and it was not until the 1950s that significant work on the concept continued. Italian boatbuilder Supramar launched the PT10 Freccia d’Oro (Golden Arrow) in 1952, marking the first appearance of foiling technology on a commercial passenger ferry. The surfacepiercing PT10 operated between Italy and Switzerland for many years, ferrying up to 32 passengers at a time across Lake Maggiore at speeds of 40 mph. The PT10’s revolutionary hull and foil system were subsequently copied and
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developed worldwide. The Cuban Navy adopted the design for use in a series of fast patrol hydrofoils that it operated through the 1950s, and the Royal Canadian Navy also developed surface-piercing hydrofoils with top-speeds in excess of 70 mph. Beyond their development as fast ferries and military patrol craft, recreational hydrofoils also saw rapid development through the 1970s and ‘80s. Mainly small, one-off designs for racing, the success of these vessels led the Hobie Cat company to take the bold step of introducing its legendary TriFoiler catamaran to the market in 1992, its 40 mph top-speed making it the fastest production sailboat in the world. More than any other, it was the Hobie TriFoiler that made foiling widely accessible, and which set the table for the technology to become the standard in high-level competitive sailing. French skipper Alain Thébault was the first international racer to get serious about hydrofoils, and in 2009 he crushed the world sailing record with his foiling trimaran Hydroptère, which clocked a documented top-speed of 59.03 mph. While these successes were widely celebrated among die-hard sailors, it was the 2010 America’s Cup that really brought hydrofoils into mainstream focus, when the trimaran USA-17 debuted its revolutionary wing sail and hydraulically operated dagger boards. Easily winning the 2010 America’s
Cup, it’s fair to say that USA-17 forever changed the face of competitive sailing — and hydrofoils as we know them today.
The family foiler
The growing prominence of hydrofoils in international competition has directly led to growing interest in flying over water among recreational boaters too. It’s not so much about high speed as increased efficiency and enjoying a smoother ride. By lifting the hull clear of the waves, hydrofoils don’t pound when running in choppy water. Want to run wide-open in 3-foot waves without spilling the wine? This is how you do it. Combining Swiss engineering with design principles established in America’s Cup competition, Enata’s new foiling powerboat — appropriately named The Foiler — uses four wing-like hydrofoils to create lift, elevating the boat 5 feet above the waves. The high-tech Foiler is joystick controlled, and a boatload of sophisticated engineering, including no less than 54 sensors on the foils, ensures a smooth and stable ride. The Foiler is powered by a pair of torpedo-shaped, hydraulically driven pods linked to twin V8 diesels, for a total of 740 hp. In full foiling mode, there’s so little drag that the boat hits speeds of around 50 mph with minimal fuel consumption. One of the most novel hydrofoils now coming to market is the Swedish-built Candela Seven, which claims to be the world’s first
FOILER PHOTO BY GUILLAUME PLISSON; CANDELA SEVEN PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN BRECHEIS
The Foiler
