At first glance, this may appear to be some type of unmanned watercraft, but it’s actually the Syroco Moonshot #1. The startup behind this unique watercraft hopes to shatter the world sailing speed record of 63.7 mph, set by Paul Larsen in his Vestas Sailrocket 2, by reaching at least 92 mph. It hopes to do this with the help of a pod that glides a few feet above the surface, using foils to keep it grounded to the water, while kites provide propulsion.
Yes, this is a manned watercraft in which the pilots in the pod have full control of the kite and foil to avoid dangerous obstacles if necessary. However, shattering the speed record will take a few more years of research and development. Currently, the team have built a third-scale, radio-controlled model to test multiple foil and kite prototypes. Only after they manage to use the kite sail as a propulsive force will a full-scale model be constructed.
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![Syroco Moonshot 1 World Sailing Speed Record Kite](https://i.imgur.com/KI08Pcl.jpg)
This was a very important step in the validation process. The team knew it would fly, it worked in computer simulations. Now it works in real life! Speed isn’t just our end goal. Our software simulation platform, Syroco Efficient Ship, lets us apply our research and help shipbuilders make much more efficient hulls that will reduce their carbon footprint,” said the company.
[Source]