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Lifting Foils in Action with Safran Sailing

Safran Sailing puts the new lifting foils on their IMOCA 60 to the test.
  • Updated: September 28, 2015

Safran Sailing has released the latest pictures of their foiled IMOCA 60 in action. The foils generate lift, allowing the boat to ride higher, reducing wetted surface, decreasing drag and making for softer landings off of waves.

Click here for the full story on the design and purpose of the new foils from Safran.

Safran Sailing puts the new foils to the test in heavy air. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
Skippers Morgan Lagaviere and Nicolas Luven train onboard Safran before the start of the upcoming Transat Jacques Vabre. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
The pair sails off the coast of Brittany, in similar conditions to the sea trials of another IMOCA 60, Gitana. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
The foil effect in action: while the the lift generated by the appendages does’t allow the boat to ‘foil’ like a Moth, it allows the boat to sit higher in the water. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
This lift reduces the wetted surface of the boat which reduces drag and allows for higher speeds through the water. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
The extra lift also allows for softer landings in the choppy seas when winds kick up. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
The new IMOCAs have not had a competitive trial run in favorable conditions, with the light winds of the Fastnet and Artemis Challenge favoring the older, traditional IMOCA 60s. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
For the 5 new IMOCAs with foils, the Transat Jacques Vabre will be the first real test as they gear up for the start of the Vendee Globe, the true end goal of each of the teams. Jean-Marie Liot / DPPI / Safran
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