Luxury automobile manufacturer Ferrari has announced a breakthrough project – a 30.5-metre foiling yacht called Ferrari Hypersail. The prototype will be the first of its size in the world to be exclusively energy self-sufficient, operating on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and kinetic.
French naval architect Guillaume Verdier is at the helm of the design and has introduced an "innovative canting keel" to the build that will provide support for one of the foils. The sailing yacht will therefore be able to stabilise flight on three contact points, with support also offered through a foil on the rudder or two lateral foils.
Crucially, there is no combustion engine on board, meaning all the power required to run the control and motion system 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. Technology transfer from the realm of Ferrari sports cars is also a given, with the foiling yacht set to sail with a flight control system developed from the expertise acquired in the automotive sector.
"It’s an exciting challenge, backed by a truly unique team that brings together Ferrari’s excellence and the expertise of specialists in ocean sailing design," said Giovanni Soldini, team principal and project lead. "Our top priority is to strike the right balance between the pursuit of extreme performance and maximum reliability."
"We are 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," added John Elkann, chairman of Ferrari. "Hypersail is a new challenge that pushes us to go beyond our boundaries and expand our technological horizons."
The company also emphasised that the project is based on an "open innovation model". As such, collaboration with external partners and suppliers is encouraged, particularly in the aerodynamic, power management and kinetic energy industries.
According to Ferrari, nine patents linked to the project have already been filed, with six more "currently being drafted".