Schneiter explains. “But once the boat has settled on its foils foil ram body is a whopping 2-3 feet in length even before
it needs much less power, otherwise overturning is a near- drive extension. The port and starboard foils, referred to
certainty. We have therefore developed a technology which endearingly as the ‘wings’ have 3 anti-cavitation ledges
enables the boat’s power to be cut almost instantly at the placed up the length of the ‘V’ shaped lower section. What
moment of takeoff.” are the forces involved? How much wind does the boat need
in order to foil? We are all there to find out.
Buzzing with optimism, the development team is in the RIB
following the catamaran out of the Société Nautique de The next act commences when the screecher is rolled out.
Genève Yacht Club on Lake Geneva. The players make up Stretching the length of the boat, the screecher is sheeted
an all-star cast and this weekend, the creator of the foils, Ivan in hard to the shroud, nearly a foot from the stern. In 8-10
Ravussin, brother of single- knots of breeze, the cat is
handed racing multihull
legend Steve Ravussin,
is present to observe his
‘wings’ in action.
“
cracking 16-18 knots of boat
Stretching the length of the
speed. She wants to fly! The
boat, the screecher is sheeted in
sails I learn are the latest

hard to the shroud, nearly a foot
generation of composite sails
from North Sails, known as
From the RIB, Ivan directs from the stern. In 8-10 knots of 3Di. Developed for Alinghi for
the sailors on where to sit
breeze, the cat is cracking 16-18
the 32nd America’s Cup, the
on the hiking trampoline. catamaran will be the very first
The first experiment is
knots of boat speed
with body weight position.
The radio crackles back and forth and we, the audience,
hang around the RIB central console in pockets of our own ”
boat to use this new material in
regattas. Produced by the same
moulding procedure as 3DL, 3Di is apparently significantly
lighter and stronger, where the ‘i’ stands for ‘interleaved’
discussion. (woven).
The hydraulic systems on the SYZ Foiler are hefty. The A second Tacktick speedo is manned in the RIB. Annotations
main sheet is hydraulic and the double-action, push-pull are made according to the change in wind conditions relative
14  MULTIHULL REVIEW : JUNE 2009
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