Whatever happened to America s Cup? Print this article
Try guessing the world record speed of a boat under sail. How fast can a wind-propelled vessel go without assistance from a motor? For the sake of mental comparison, think of walking speed, which is generally 2 to 3 mph. A fast walker might do 4 mph. Most people don’t jog faster than 6 mph. Double that and you’re on a traditional Atlantic racing yacht. The theoretical maximum speed of one I crewed on in the 1970s was nearly 12 knots, about 14 mph. That’s bracingly brisk when you’re on board 45 tons out in the ocean.