We all know the legendary Italian brands that produce some of the most revered fashion, cars, and yachts in the world. But Ferrari is different. Ferrari is a religion. And now that Ferrari has just introduced its new Ferrari Hypersail project, high-performance hydrofoiling sailboat technology might never be the same again.
Led by Team Principal Giovanni Soldini, Hypersail is a research and development platform focused on offshore sailing onboard a 100-foot-long hydrofoiling yacht is designed by French naval architect Guillaume Verdier to stabilize its flight on three points of contact. Verdier’s most notable innovation is the use of a canting keel as the support for one of the foils, with the other two contact points being a foil on the rudder and, alternately, the two lateral foils.
“Hypersail is a new challenge that pushes us to go beyond our boundaries and expand our technological horizons,” says Ferrari Chairman John Elkann. “At the same time, it perfectly aligns with Ferrari’s tradition, drawing inspiration from our Hypercar, three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Designing a yacht for offshore racing is perhaps the ultimate expression of endurance.
“Giovanni Soldini is a key pillar of this project, not only because of his achievements as a sailor but also his unmatched experience in yacht development and construction. The excellent teamwork between Ferrari and Guillaume Verdier is bringing into existence a unique boat that will fly across the oceans, representing a real opportunity for innovation in both the nautical and automotive worlds.”
“I’m happy and honored to be part of this adventure,” said Giovanni Soldini, Team Principal of Hypersail. “An exciting challenge, backed by a truly unique team that brings together Ferrari’s excellence and the expertise of specialists in ocean sailing design. The meeting of different cultures and advanced technologies is enabling us to build a yacht that is revolutionary in many respects.
“From a nautical perspective, it’s innovative in both its structure and how it will fly. On the systems front, Ferrari’s contribution is driving the development of on-board control technology that has never been seen before. To prepare as well as we can for the variability and force of the phenomena and conditions encountered at sea, our top priority is to strike the right balance between the pursuit of extreme performance and maximum reliability.”
According to advance reports the Hypersail project is aiming for close collaboration between Ferrari, its partners, and suppliers. This approach will be used to develop systems in the areas of aerodynamics, energy efficiency, power management, and kinetic energy.
Technology transfer from the realm of Ferrari sports cars is also key. The yacht will sail with a flight control system developed from the expertise acquired in the automotive sector – employing aerodynamic and structural calculation processes designed to ensure performance and safety for a monohull that will sail across oceans for extended periods with no external support of any kind.
The monohull is also designed to operate exclusively using renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and kinetic energy. There is no combustion engine on board, and all the power required to run the control and motion systems for the foils, keel and rudder, as well as the full suite of on-board computers and instruments, must be generated autonomously while under sail.
Mama Mia! The prototype is already under construction and due to launch next year. Watch this space.