Ferrari announces radical 100ft ‘Hypersail’ foiling yacht to take offshore flight to a new dimension

Helen Fretter

Supercar brand Ferrari has announced a radical new 100ft foiling monohull named Hypersail, which will be launched next year

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The Ferrari foiling yacht project – named ‘Hypersail’ in reference to Ferrari’s three-times Le Mans winning Hypercar – is being led by legendary Italian skipper Giovanni Soldini, with design by foiling wizard Guillaume Verdier.

The Hypersail project will not only be the largest fully foiling monohull ever built, but is also designed to be the first yacht of its size to be entirely energy self-sufficient.

The 100-footer will stabilise in flight on three points of contact: an innovative canting keel, a foil on the rudder and, alternately, one of two lateral foils. While the T-foils, with flaps, and rudder with elevator look reminiscent of the America’s Cup foilers, the AC75s, the bulbous canting keel with elevator is unique (the keel on the foiling Maxi Flying Nikka, the most similar design so far, does not have elevators).

No details have been released about the rig and sailplan, but the drawings suggest a huge 40m high wingsail with stays on outriggers.

“This boat is absolutely innovative in every respect. We set the bar very high from the very start, with extremely ambitious goals in every area,” said Soldini.

Hyperfoil in build. One of a series of slightly opaque images supplied to the press. Photo: Ferrari / Hyperfoil

“It’s a flying monohull, designed to fly across the ocean, bringing together all the advantages of a multihull – a lot of righting moment, stable flight even in large waves – combined with all the benefits of a flying monohull like an America’s Cup yacht, which from an aerodynamic point of view is much more efficient. For the first time ever a monhohull is fitted with a foil on the keel.

“It is to do something that has never been done before. It’s about taking a leap of faith.”

The foiler will have no diesel engine, and the intention is that all the power required to run the control systems for the appendages, sails, as well as computers and instruments, will be generated autonomously while under sail using renewable energy sources of solar, wind and kinetic energy.

The yacht is currently under construction at an undisclosed yard in Italy, and scheduled to launch in 2026.

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“I’m happy and honoured to be part of this adventure,” said Giovanni Soldini, Team Principal. “An exciting challenge, backed by a truly unique team that brings together Ferrari’s excellence and the expertise of specialists in ocean sailing design. The meeting of different cultures and advanced technologies is enabling us to build a yacht that is revolutionary in many respects.

“It’s innovative in both its structure and how it will fly; on the systems front, Ferrari’s contribution is driving the development of on-board control technology that has never been seen before. To prepare as well as we can for the variability and force of the phenomena and conditions encountered at sea, our top priority is to strike the right balance between the pursuit of extreme performance and maximum reliability.”

The team have yet to confirm what events or records they hope to take the Hypersail yacht to, Ferrari Chairman John Elkann saying at the launch: “[The] America’s Cup is regulated and this boat is thought to go beyond rules.

“This project gives us the chance to experiment in new areas.”

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