Sailing into Sci-Fi: The Kite-Powered SP80 Targets 80-Knot Speed Record

The SP80 is not your average sailboat. With its spaceship-like profile and kite-wing borrowed straight from the world of paragliding, it doesn’t glide over the water—it streaks across it like a flying fish on a mission. Its target: the title of the world’s fastest sailing vessel.

In the realm of speed sailing, the rules are strict: only wind power allowed, at least one person onboard, and the record is measured over a 500-meter stretch. That’s the framework laid down by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, and SP80 is playing the game with deadly intent.

This futuristic trimaran—three hulls, two for stability, one to carry the load—looks more Star Wars than yacht club. The central hull houses the pilot and controls the massive kite above, while the twin outriggers keep it all balanced. The less hull in contact with the water, the lower the drag—a principle that wouldn’t feel out of place in an F1 pit.

The kite itself is an exotic hybrid of sail and paragliding tech, made from materials typically reserved for parachutes and ultralight rigs. It’s designed to maximize speed, control and aerodynamic balance, with swappable sizes depending on the wind conditions.

To break—not just flirt with—the 80-knot barrier (that’s more than 148 km/h), SP80 relies on a hydrofoil that does more than just lift. It resists cavitation and maintains composure at mind-bending speeds. While most foils lose grip around 100 km/h like a worn tire on a wet track, SP80’s foil seems to dance above the surface, keeping the vessel tethered even as the kite pulls like a mythical beast.

Test runs are underway off the coast of southern France, where the water lies flat and the wind sweeps clean from the land—perfect for straight-line, drag-race-style speed trials. The team’s rival? Paul Larsen’s 2012 record of 65.45 knots (121 km/h), set aboard the Vestas Sailrocket 2 in Namibia.

SP80’s crew aims to hit their 80-knot goal by the end of 2025. But don’t expect them to fold their sails—or kites—after that. The technology they’re refining could chart new courses in hydro energy, commercial shipping, and high-performance racing.