An engineer explains how supercharged racing yachts go so fast
Sailing used to be considered as a rather sedate pastime. But in the past few years, the world of yacht racing has been revolutionized by the arrival of hydrofoil-supported catamarans, known as “foilers”. These vessels, more akin to high-performance aircraft than yachts, combine the laws of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics to create vessels capable of speeds…