Last Updated 11/23/09 7:00 PM
Super Boats: 5 New Designs Go Fast, Far—Even Fly! (With Videos)
Published in the February 2008 issue.
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Sailing on Stilts: Bladerider X8
Sailors need a rudder and centerboard to maneuver their vessels. But why does the rest of the boat have to be in the water? The T-shaped foils of the Australian-designed Bladerider X8 lift the boat several feet above the surface at about 6 to 10 knots, enabling it to reach downwind speeds of more than 25 knots by reducing wave resistance.
The boat is as easy to capsize as it looks, so new owners should be prepared to get wet, says Peter Becker, who owns the first Bladerider delivered to the U.S. and serves as an unpaid company spokesman. “You’re balancing on a pinhead,” he says, but he adds that piloting the craft is addictive.
“I have several boats, but since I got this one, I haven’t sailed in any other. And I don’t want to.” Bladerider International charges $17,200 for the 11-ft. boat, which was recently made available to international customers.
The boat is as easy to capsize as it looks, so new owners should be prepared to get wet, says Peter Becker, who owns the first Bladerider delivered to the U.S. and serves as an unpaid company spokesman. “You’re balancing on a pinhead,” he says, but he adds that piloting the craft is addictive.
“I have several boats, but since I got this one, I haven’t sailed in any other. And I don’t want to.” Bladerider International charges $17,200 for the 11-ft. boat, which was recently made available to international customers.
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