"Just after the first images of the AC75 American Magic, the future foil monohull of the America's Cup, the media battle was launched. It is the turn of the French to unveil their boat for the America's Cup..." But no, voyons?! In France, we don't do the America's Cup. But we have the Mini Class and ideas. Is this a form of the exception française??
Whatever the case, the nautical world is changing very quickly around hydrofoil monohulls and the Structures yard is delivering the first video of the PogoFoiler which will line up at the start of the Mini-Transat.
Pogo's making a bet on the flight
The mini Arkema was the first in the class to fly, but due to a lack of versatility (and overweight) outside ideal conditions, it disappeared into the depths of the ranking.
Only two years ago, the Finisterian shipyard took up the challenge of flying a mini.
Supersonic flight: peaks at over 20 knots... with 20 knots of wind
The images shot by Yann Riou are fascinating. We see the PogoFoiler in stabilized flight. It just seems to ricochet from time to time on the back of a few more plump waves.
Of course, the conditions are all right for the flight, a wind of around twenty knots, a very flat sea and above all water to run, because here we are really going fast, over 20 knots.
We also note that the two skippers, Tanguy Bouroullec and Erwan Tymen, are busy regulating power and piloting the boat.
This boat, still in the development phase, is therefore only waiting to fly, the base is good. Now it remains to learn and perfect the piloting technique to maintain the flight as long as possible.
But if the proof of theft is proven - and in a very short time - the other important factor is versatility. And this proto has already made 2 podiums in the 2 previous races run in light airs. It seems to indicate that the Pogo proto is versatile and it is extremely promising for the future.
The demonstration of know-how
The Pogo Foiler is a great demonstration of technical know-how on the part of the Pogo shipyard. With reasonable means, but once again in partnership with Guillaume Verdier, the site has acquired very wise skills. Indeed, the architect has been in the New Zealanders' design office since their cup boats flew.
And maintenant??
After these impressive images, the concept of the ocean foiler in mini class has yet to be validated. But let's see, if in light airs we lose very little in foiling and that sometimes when all the conditions are met, it can switch to supersonic mode, then there is little chance that the future of protos will be elsewhere than in foils.
