Italian supercar manufacturer Ferrari has announced a new monohull with 100-foot foilings called the Hypersail, which will be released next year.
The foil superyacht project presented by Ferrari and called “Hypersail” – a direct reference to the three-time Le Mans winning Ferrari Hypercar – is led by legendary Italian skipper Giovanni Soldini, and the design is done by foil expert Guillaume Verdier.
The Hypersail project will not only be the most foiled monohull yacht ever built, but it is also designed to be the first yacht of its size to be fully self-sufficient in terms of energy.
The 100-foot craft will stabilize in flight based on three points of contact: an innovative inclined keel, a foil on the rudder, and alternatively on one of the two side foils.
While the T-shaped folils, with flaps, and the elevator rudder are reminiscent of the gazebos of the America’s Cup, the retractable inclined bubble keel is unique (the keel on the Maxi Flying Nikka, the most similar project so far, does not have a lift).
No details have been published regarding the crew and sail plan, but the drawings suggest a huge sail 40 m high, wingsail on clothes attached to the stabilizers.
“This boat is absolutely innovative in every way. We have raised the bar very high from the beginning, with extremely ambitious goals in each area,” said Soldini.
Hypersail is a flying monohull, designed to fly overseas, combining all the advantages of a multihull – high recovery moment, stable flight even on big waves – combined with all the advantages of a flying monohull, like an America’s Cup yacht, which is aerodynamically much more efficient. For the first time in history, a monohull is equipped with a foil on the keel.
“It’s about doing something that has never been done before. It’s about taking a leap of faith.”
The Hypersail will not have a diesel engine, and the intention is that all the energy needed to operate the control systems for accessories, sails, as well as computers and instruments, will be generated autonomously during navigation, using renewable solar, wind and kinetic energy sources.
The yacht is currently under construction at an undisclosed shipyard in Italy and is scheduled to launch in 2026.
Hypersail is a new challenge that pushes us to push our limits and expand our technological horizons. At the same time, it aligns perfectly with Ferrari tradition, taking inspiration from our three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Designing a yacht for offshore racing is probably the ultimate expression of endurance,” said John Elkann, Ferrari president.
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“Giovanni Soldini is a key pillar of this project, not only because of his achievements as a navigator, but also because of his unparalleled experience in yacht development and construction. The excellent teamwork between Ferrari and Guillaume Verdier gives rise to a unique boat that will fly across oceans, representing a real opportunity for innovation in both the nautical and automotive worlds.”
“I am happy and honored to be part of this adventure,” said Giovanni Soldini, Team Principal of Hypersail. “An exciting challenge, supported by a truly unique team that brings together Ferrari’s excellence and the expertise of ocean navigation design specialists. The meeting of different cultures and advanced technologies allows us to build a yacht that is revolutionary in many ways. Nautically, it is innovative both in terms of its structure and the way it will fly; In terms of systems, Ferrari’s contribution leads to the development of on-board control technology that has never been encountered before. To best prepare for the variability and strength of phenomena and conditions encountered at sea, our top priority is to strike the right balance between the pursuit of extreme performance and maximum reliability.”
Innovations and technology transfer
To stimulate innovation and create value, the Hypersail project is based on open innovation, aiming at close collaboration and the exchange of ideas and external expertise between Ferrari, its partners and suppliers. This approach is used to develop systems in the areas of aerodynamics, energy efficiency, energy management, and kinetic energy.
The transfer of technology from the field of Ferrari sports cars is also essential: the yacht will sail with a flight control system developed based on the expertise acquired in the automotive sector – using aerodynamic and structural calculation processes designed to ensure the performance and safety of a monohull that will fly overseas for extended periods – non-stop, without stops and without external support of any kind.
The search for completely original solutions applied to the nautical world has led to the filing of nine patents, six more are in the process of being drafted. The contribution that the quest for maximum performance at sea makes to the evolution of the Cabrat’s sports cars is equally significant.
Energy autonomy
The yacht is designed to operate exclusively with the help of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and kinetic energy. There is no combustion engine on board, and all the energy required for the operation of the control and motion systems for the leaves, keel and rudder, as well as for the entire set of computers and instruments on board, must be generated autonomously during navigation.
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Reconciling total energy autonomy with the excellent performance expected from a yacht of this size, in the variable and often extreme conditions it will encounter, requires careful energy balance and rigorous resource management. This involved optimizing the efficiency of each individual component and each power generation system.
A challenge that many previously considered impossible.
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