00:00Le Amokka Sailing Yacht
00:0218 mètres of cutting edge ocean racing machine
00:06Fast, powerful and always pushing the limits of design
00:10Whether they're cutting along the coast or lapping the planet through the vast oceans
00:14At each boat's heart are the sailors
00:16Using only the wind and waves, their muscles and skill
00:19Pushing the boat and themselves to the limit
00:22But how do these extreme machines fly across an ocean?
00:26Since 1991, the Amokka class has been a testbed for bold ideas
00:31With no two boats looking the same
00:33Each boat must fit certain design parameters or a box rule
00:37However, there's plenty of freedom for innovation, experimentation and very different approaches
00:42For the seven teams in the Ocean Race Europe in 2025
00:46One idea unites them all
00:48Flying is faster than smashing through the waves
00:51That's why every boat is fitted with long curved arms reaching down into the sea
00:56Hydrofoils
00:58These foils act like wings, bending the flow of the water
01:01With a pressure difference lifting the boat above the surface
01:04Reducing drag and unleashing speed
01:07When the first foils were added, they weren't really built to fly
01:12These were stabilizers, counteracting the massive power generated by the sails
01:16Pushing the hull upright so sailors could press harder and go faster
01:21But over time, the question shifted
01:23Could we lift the boat completely clear?
01:26Could we fly?
01:27The answer, in theory, was yes
01:29But out on the open ocean, flying is anything but simple
01:33You can't get through a lake with like this
01:35The wind and waves change constantly
01:38Meaning the sailors must adapt to keep the boat on the foils
01:41And avoid crashing into the waves
01:43Which loses speed and risks breakages and injuries to the crew
01:47So the challenge is to find that balance between performance and stability
01:52And foil designs are still evolving every year
01:54Setting new speed and distance records
01:56And pushing the limits of what the sailors can endure
01:59Here are five key foil factors
02:02Size and shape are where you start
02:05Thicker foils with a heavy curve bend the water flow aggressively
02:08Generating lots of power
02:10But in light winds, the foil can be too thick to slide smoothly through the water
02:14Making the boat slow as the foil drags their feet
02:17A flatter shape designed to disturb the water as little as possible
02:21Is quick in the light winds
02:23But would struggle to lift eight tons of boat and crew when you need it to
02:27Developing the perfect foil curve takes time
02:31It's nearly a year to design and build a pair
02:34So making the right decision is key
02:37The next two power factors are mostly out of your hands
02:40Water density which changes with temperature and salinity
02:44Cold salty water giving a little more lifting power
02:47And boat speed which varies with the wind
02:50Go too slow and the foil can't lift the boat
02:53Too fast and suddenly the foil becomes powerful enough to eject you from the water
02:59And then there's the fifth factor
03:01The foil's angle of attack
03:05This is where the sailors earn their keep
03:07Using hydraulics, trimming the pitch of the boat
03:09They fine tune the angle
03:11Adjusting lift, hunting for that perfect sweet spot
03:15These boats are always on the edge
03:17And sailors who race these boats have the scars to show for it
03:20Helmet, body armour and crash padding feature across the fleet
03:24It's a balancing act
03:26Second by second, metre by metre
03:28A combination of sailing skill, intense concentration and experimental technology
03:33Right on the line between speed and disaster
03:37But when those foils do their job
03:39When the sailors manage to just balance the power
03:42They're flying
03:44And the boatswain
03:51There's a line between the boat
03:54One island in the ship
03:56But once more o'clock
03:58The boatswain
04:00The boatswain
04:02The boatswain
04:04The boatswain
04:05The boatswain
04:06The boatswain
