# How does a supermaxi sail?



## toastchee (Mar 8, 2006)

Hey Gang,

Just looking at this boat makes my pulse quicken. How do you sail such a beast? It seems to have about 3x the mast height that I do on my sloop. What would you do if you got overpowered? Is it easy to get knocked down?

Alfa Romeo wins Sydney to Hobart race - CNN.com


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

If the rig's only 3 times your mast height you probably have a pretty good sized boat yourself! 

These boats nowadays have canting keels, large crews, tremendous righting moment to enable these powerful rigs, it's all relative but these huge boats have very high boatspeed potential. Many of them now also rely on extensive hydraulics/electrics so the generator has to be running at all times just for that.

But it would be really something to get a ride on one, doing 20+ knots on a broad reach with a huge A sail up!


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

I've been sorta kinda watching the race, max speeds I saw were upper teens for "THIS" race. But low to mid 20's would be doable in the correct conditions. This was a pretty slow race, IIRC about 6-8 hr off the record set by WOXI a couple of yrs ago.

marty


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## bubb2 (Nov 9, 2002)

One of my favorite videos. One minute of 20+

YouTube - Pirates of the Caribbean racing


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Wow Bubb - that is pure beauty. What a rush to be on one of those babies.

Let me know when you get hired to deliver one. I'm in!


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## Sanduskysailor (Aug 1, 2008)

Never raced on a Super Maxi but a 68' sled quite a bit. The big difference with the big boys is that the apparent wind moves forward and fast. The most I've steered in was 30knots downwind where we managed 18knots sustained with the runner up. A real hoot to drive just don't let the boat slow down because things start breaking quickly. Yah, they let me drive for a while. Jibing in those conditions can best be described as interesting. It will get the crew's full attention. I can't imagine what a 100 footer would be like. Waves that mere mortals find to be rough are not an issue for a boat that big. I imagine the biggest thing would be keeping the rig in the boat when the speed jumps up, and you have that big A-sail driving the boat. Way beyond my skill set.

The real shocker for me is light air. In 7knots true wind these big boys are doing 10+ upwind. Even on the 68 footer our upwind targets were over 8knots at 6knots true wind. Hot smaller boats like a Farr 40 might be doing 6 knots in those conditions so the speed difference is amazing when you pass them. Good times.


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## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

YouTube - Hydroptere - Fastest Sailboat in the World HYDROPTERE

If you like that one check out the fastest ride on water. Also a few related videos of a big tri- haulint two on water skis.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Wow Nich - that thing is screaming. What does the flat head on the main do exactly? Is it just to keep more sail area up high?

Has anyone here raced or crewed an Open 70?


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## sarafinadh (Jun 16, 2009)

that's not sailing.
that's heaven....

ok, pardon me while I go take a cold shower...


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## CalypsoP35 (Jul 24, 2006)

*High Tech and Low Tech*

Amazing, with all the technology in that boat, they still rely on "rail meat" to squeeze that last little bit of speed of her.


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## NICHOLSON58 (Feb 22, 2009)

The flat top mains add to the perfromance of the main over-all. It is an extension of the ever larger roach. The old pointy top is only a convenient spreader of stresses to the lower, working part of the sail but not effective as drive. Its too small and proportionally shadowed by the mast. Once they learned how to make this work the top parts can help increase the drive and effective area without loosing aspect. Nearly all very fast boats use this now. The new rule for Tornado went to flat top. It is especially effective in light air and is easily curled off in heavy air and gusts without flogging. It added 15% to the main area on my Tornado and greatly increased the pointing ability.


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

Cool. Thanks for the explanation Nich.


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## mgmhead (Jan 14, 2007)

Supermaxi Sail Alfa Romeo is a 30 metre (98') boat with a 44 metre (144')carbon fibre mast.Said to average 22 knots in a mild sea with consistent 15 knot winds. Alfa Romeo Maxi Yacht


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## sarafinadh (Jun 16, 2009)

heh.... on a sea of money?


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## COOL (Dec 1, 2009)

Yes, Super Maxis operate on the principle 
of converting massive amounts of money
into forward motion.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Alfa was parked right next to the Anzac Bridge in Sydney pre race. The AB is the second highest bridge in town (min clearance to roadway 30m) and Alfa's mast towered above the road. I drive across the AB from home to office and it was kind of weird to see some fella up the top of her mast way above the bridge deck.

Alfa had to sail past Wombat Manor on her way to the Harbour Bridge, it was a sight I have to say.

OTOH, Leopard (third across the line after Alfa and Oats) cannot get under the Harbour Bridge. They have to cant her keel to induce heel in order for her to pass. They do it at 10 knots or so by the look of things. Pretty cool to watch.

Alfa heading towards SHB










Leopard motoring towards SYB with induced heel.


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