Published on08/ 6/07
Fancy a yacht that flies? Well, the 60-foot Hydroptere does exactly that. While it isn't capable of taking to the skies like the Wright brothers did, it is more than capable of rising up and gliding over waves without suffering from the drag experienced when running through water. Whenever the wind reaches swift speeds, the carbon fiber ailerons will stay in contact with the water as the rest of the yacht gets a lift above the waves. The Hydroptere is capable of crossing the Channel in slightly over thirty minutes. To date, it has achieved speeds of up to 44.81 knots over 500 meters, and the inventor Alain Thébault aims to break the 50 knot mark by the time winter rolls around. I'm all for anything that helps mankind move more efficiently without causing damage to the environment.