HIGH SPEED Record Chasers by Dieter Loibner hen it comes to world-record in the 78' (24m) wave-piercing trima- composite vessels; and by using cleaner- Wcircumnavigations, powerboats ran Earthrace, powered by 2x 400-kW burning fuel, both are attempting to are no match for sailing trimarans. In (540-hp) Cummins MerCruisers. mitigate the copious emissions of green- 2016–17 Frances Joyon nearly cracked Compared to the nonstop Jules house gases on this voyage. the 40-day barrier, sailing 26,412 nau- Verne sailing record, Bethune’s com- tical miles nonstop in 40 days, 23 bustion-driven voyage covered less dis- The German syndicate hours, and 30 minutes, averaging a tance, stopped for fuel and repairs, and smidgen under 27 knots to claim the bypassed all the epic capes and the Frank Peter Hartmann, a Hamburg- coveted Jules Verne Trophy. Rudder Southern Ocean—as allowed under based marketing expert, is helping the damage in the Indian Ocean recently Union Internationale Motonautique German syndicate The FAST One put in ended a promising record attempt by (UIM) rules. Currently, two campaigns a serious record bid with a foil-assisted the French trimaran Spindrift. On the aspire to push Earthrace off its pedes- vessel and German engineering. Hart- power side, the current record stands tal, one in England, the other in Ger- mann: “I’m not a boat insider, but my at a comparatively modest 60 days, 23 many. While the Brits are in the final father, a shipbuilding engineer who used hours, and 49 minutes, which included stages of building their boat, the Ger- to run a yard in South Africa, told me several refueling stopovers and a mans are still raising funds. But there about Professor Hoppe.” Karl-Gunter course of 24,000 nm at an average of are notable parallels: Both hope to Wilhelm Hoppe is a retired professor approximately 16.4 knots. It was set in better the current record by 10 days from the mechanical engineering depart- 2004 by New Zealander Pete Bethune or more; both favor aluminum over ment of the University of Stellenbosch, 20 PROFESSIONAL BOATBUILDER Three ambitious pending record attempts—two global and one transatlantic—look to new hullforms, advanced construction materials, and cutting-edge fuel and propulsion technologies. South Africa, who taught fluid mechan- 40-knot boat speeds. “It will not be Back in Germany, Hoppe’s colleague ics, and mechanical and marine engi- possible for a usual planing hull to and business partner, Gerd Gerdsen— neering. In the 1980s and ’90s he drove carry so much fuel and run these high a retired naval architect who has the development of hydrofoil-supported speeds with the enormous range, worked with notable yards including catamarans, aka HYSUCATs, and now except with very large units.” Hoppe Abeking & Rasmussen and Lürssen runs Foil Assisted Ship Technologies added that FASTcc’s performance soft- Shipyard—put the finishing touches (FASTcc). For an in-depth look at this ware, developed over the last 30 years, on Hoppe’s platform concept, a 25m technology, see Gunther Migeotte’s will be used in the final design stages (82' ) foil-assisted catamaran for a design brief in Professional BoatBuilder of The FAST One. crew of eight to 10. The boat will be No. 157. The term Hysucraft refers to any 26m (85.3' ) LOA, 20m (65.6' ) LWL, While the story of the HYSUCAT boat that uses foils designed by 8m (26.2' ) beam, and 1.5m (4.9' ) brand is long and convoluted, the hull- Hoppe’s company. “The Hysucraft maximum draft. The data sheet also form is proven and has been applied to also has enormous improvements in lists 40 knots top speed fully loaded recreational and commercial craft seakeeping, and the foil introduces a and a maximum range of 800 nautical from 6.5m to 80m (21.3' to 262.5' ), considerable damping effect, which miles at 38 knots cruising speed. RINE A including power catamarans, rigid- was highly appreciated by the U.S. Gerdsen suggested that a successful VEN M bottom inflatables, tour and fishing Army Corps of Engineers.... We have round-the-world record attempt with A EH AF boats, fast-ferries, and workboats and designed a number of these 55' to 60' such a craft would require the power Y S S patrol boats for military use. It’s not [16.8m to 18.3m] survey boats in the of two 1,200-kW diesels (e.g., MAN, E T UR unreasonable to think that it might suit USA, built by various shipyards. MTU) to deal with an overall displace- O C the ultimate offshore endurance test. “For The FAST One, crew comfort on ment of 70 metric tons (154,300 lbs), “In general, the performance gain such a long trip is of utmost importance. at least 30 t (66,000 lbs) of which is against a usual planing hull will be Also, in certain waves the resistance reserved for tankage. The longest more than 40%,” Hoppe explained in of [a] Hysucraft is reduced far below legs of the proposed route, according an e-mail. That means the hull can be the one on flat water. In usual boats the to Hartmann, are about 2,200 nauti- powered by smaller diesel engines and resistance in waves increases consid- cal miles, from Manzanillo, Mexico, consume less fuel while maintaining erably and especially in head seas.” to Hawaii and from there, 3,500 nm to Facing page—Safe- haven Marine’s Thunder Child, shown in sea trials off the Irish coast, later set a circumnavi- gation record for the “Long Way Round” Ireland. Left—A render- ing shows the 85.3' (26m) German catama- ONE ran The FAST One, AST inspired by commercial Y THE F foil-assisted craft like S E T high-speed ferries in UR O C service for many years. APRIL/MAY 2019 21 HIGH SPEED: Record Chasers Guam. Start and finish ports must be will get built from stainless steel—no are better suited for all-round use and identical but can be chosen by the experiments with titanium or car- can be [adapted] for changing condi- team, which will include members of bon fiber. The main foil forward will tions and payloads,” Gerdsen said. the German police and German Mari- be installed in the 3m [9.8' ] tunnel To spare the atmosphere, the team time Search and Rescue, who are between the hulls, so it is protected, has chosen carbon-neutral synthetic experienced in driving high-speed and it gets ‘mirrored’ by the smooth fuel (synfuel) refined from synthetic vessels in adverse conditions. sidewalls of the hulls, which increases crude, which in turn is produced The primary build material is corro- efficiency.” The goal, according to the through steam electrolysis, and CO2. sion-resistant aluminum with plate team, is to travel 2,000–3,000 nm at Maintaining carbon neutrality, how- thicknesses from 2.5mm to 4.5mm speeds well above 30 knots. Hoppe ever, requires the use of renewable (0.01" to 0.18" ). It’s robust and easily noted that “to run most efficient, The energy like wind, solar, or hydroelec- repaired in a stopover port or with an FAST One will need active trim devices tric power. An alliance of several com- underwater welding torch should an at speed and…fuel transfer tanks to panies announced plans to produce emergency occur under way. correct the LCG [longitudinal center 8,000 tons of so-called Blue Crude per “Carbon fiber for a one-off is too of gravity].” year in a 20-megawatt plant in Heroya, expensive. Besides, it’s easier to find Regarding the drive system, he Norway, beginning in 2020. aluminum welders than someone who pointed to positive experiences with Additionally, the vessel’s design seeks has the skill and gear to fix damaged adjustable-pitch propellers by Servo- to optimize aerodynamics, since air carbon in a remote place,” Gerdsen gear on older HYSUCAT ferries (e.g., drag adds up to 30% of total resistance explained. “We’d use extruded profiles Rhein jet and Nordblitz), in service for traveling at 40 knots in calm condi- as much as possible. We calculated three decades. “Jet drives are more tions. Lastly, the team plans to use that the foils should carry up to 50% of effective at very high speeds but not at smart electronics to help avoid colli- the total weight, or about 35 t. The foils slow speeds or rough seas, because of sions with unknown floating objects, will not protrude below the keel and the trapped air. Adjustable propellers which can be made visible on the water’s 22 PROFESSIONAL BOATBUILDER ONE AST Y THE F S E T UR O C The concept builds on a proven technology developed for military and commercial vessels. Fixed foils span the cavity between the hulls to reduce draft from 4.9' to 3' (1.5m to 0.9m) and lessen drag for a more efficient and comfortable ride. surface at a distance of up to 1.5 nm. “The current UIM record was set at the efficiencies of foil-assisted plan- To get a sense of the chances such a an average speed of 16 knots by a ing. As a result, The FAST One will boat stands to break the round-the- semi-displacement hullform, which ideally be shooting for an average world powerboat record, I contacted gave the vessel a wide range of effi- speed of 22 knots and higher and Australian naval architect Scott Jutson ciency options,” Jutson explained. “In perhaps even approximating average (see Rovings in PBB No.