What are Hydrofoil Boats?

Hydrofoil boat technology is not by any means a new technology, but these boats have been growing in popularity in recent years. These unique boats have been used by the military as well as for sailing, watersports, and passenger boats. With a hydrofoil boat, you will feel like you are flying on water. The fun and functionality of these boats are what has made them more common for these applications. You may be wondering what exactly a hydrofoil boat is.

Foil is a term used to describe a wing, and a hydrofoil is a wing that floats on top of the water. The use of hydrofoils on boats allows them to drive above the water’s surface and the boat itself won’t even touch the water when it is moving. The hydrofoils need to be on the water in order to work, so they keep the boat from capsizing or flying out of the water.

Hydrofoil boats have their history in military usage across the world. Germany tested hydrofoils and discovered they were able to travel over minefields, but other complications prevented them from going into production. In the 1970’s and 80’s, Russia introduced a few hydrofoil boats that are still in service. The United States Navy started researching hydrofoil boats back in the 50’s and started introducing them for use in the 70’s. A couple of other countries that employed the use of hydrofoil boats include Italy and Japan.

The use of hydrofoils has changed the face of sports sailing in recent years. Many of the boats used in the most recent America’s Cup have hydrofoils that add speed and control. With this technology, most of the boats now in the water sport don’t even touch the water. Competitive sailing is barely recognizable with this technology, but it is still extremely interesting!

Hydrofoil boat technology has been used for passenger boats for years. The smoother rides provided by these boats make them a great water transportation option, even for people who otherwise may experience seasickness. However, risks and concerns about older hydrofoil designs kept them from taking off. Modern advances in the design and usage of hydrofoils make them a much more environmentally friendly and safer option. The Hysucat Water Taxi is a phenomenal option for waterway transportation that is quicker, smoother, and overall preferred to traditional water taxi’s.

Hydrofoil boats, also known as foiling boats or hydrosails are intriguing boats that use the laws of physics to virtually fly over the water. Hydrofoil boat technology is literally wings for boats. Even though the technology has existed for many years, modern designs are much safer and environmentally friendly than older designs. The faster speeds hydrofoil boats can achieve along with increase maneuverability have made them ideal options for the military, sports sailing, and passenger boats. To learn more about the newest hydrofoil boat designs, contact our team at Hysucat.