Tuesday 6 May 2008

Mirabaud LX - Swiss Develop the First 'Hull Less' Yacht

This is the latest in sailboat design - from Sail-Search, the website to keep you up to date with all the latest news and developments in sailing: http://www.sail-search.com/


Geneva, April 29, 2008 – The brand new sailing boat Mirabaud LX was presented to the media this morning at Société Nautique de Genève, in Switzerland. Supported by the Banque Mirabaud & Cie banquiers privés, this project is the result of Thomas Jundt’s creativity and experience with highly competitive sailing boats. Aimed at flying on its hydrofoils, this prototype has a very special characteristic: it has no hulls, although marginal floatability remains, aimed at preventing the boat from sinking until it reaches flying speeds at approximately 8 knots.

Conceived around a structure of carbon fiber tubes, this boat is a concentrate of high technology. Every single element has been optimized in order to reduce the overall weight and allow it to fly on its foils as quickly as possible. As of today, it is the only “hull less” boat on earth.
Mirabaud supports this innovative project and will give Thomas Jundt the ability to further develop it over the next three years.

Mirabaud LX’s crew is made out of Antoine Ravonel, helmsman and boat captain, Thomas Jundt, project manager and crew member, and Eric Gobet, no1. Other members of the project include the coach and former Olympic sailor Jean-Pierre Ziegert, sail designer Jean-Marc Monnard, boat designer Sébastien Schmidt and French engineer Hugues De Turkheim, consultant for the foils.

Mirabaud’s objective in getting associated with such a high tech & professional project is to support the development of the sport whilst promoting its brand locally and internationally. Mirabaud wishes to share human values of excellence and performance through innovative and high tech projects.

Antonio Palma, associé commanditaire, limited Partner, Mirabaud & Cie, banquiers privés said; “This is a fascinating project, way out of the beaten track; a new and very original way of considering the sport of sailing. This spirit of technological challenge, and innovation, has seduced us.”

Thomas Jundt, project manager and crew member said; “The Mirabaud LX project is unique in the world; it represents a real challenge, intellectual, technical and sportive.”

Technical data:LOA: 10mWidth (structure, without the ladders): 1,8mWeight: 150 kg (25 kg for the foils)Surface of sails: (upwind) : 32m2Surface of sails: (downwind) : 62m2

Image copyright Philippe Schiller/my image

Reproduced courtesy Sail-Search http://www.sail-search.com/

You can read more about sailing and passagemaking in my ebook 'Voyage of the Little Ship 'Tere Moana', downloadable from my website http://www.sailboat2adventure.com

1 comment:

NotGuyGoma said...

I'm amazed that structure of rods and poles can reach planing speeds! Must have very powerful sails, I guess...