Musing About AC Finals Speed

During the just completed World Series, the AC 45s with wing mains hit speeds in the low 20s.

While sailing in the same conditions aboard the 60-ft (LOD) foiler l’Hydroptère DCNS on Thursday, we hit 35 knots. And l’Hydroptère DCNS has a soft sail. The next day Associate Publisher John Arndt and Kimball Livingston hit 45 knots in World Series conditions aboard l’Hydroptère DCNS. In other words, a 15-foot-longer foiler with soft sails sailed twice as fast as an AC 45 with a wing.

That brings up the question of how fast will an AC 72 with a wing — and foils, such as the Kiwis are putting on their cat — sail on San Francisco Bay? It boggles the mind.