When they set a record they do exactly the same as the kiteboarders and that is find a spot with ideal conditions.
Exactly. And this is not something that is unique to speed sailing records. If you want to set the land speed record, you don't do it on an old dirt country road, you go to the salt flats. If you want to break the freestyle swimming speed record, you don't do it in the ocean, you do it in a pool. The list of examples is endless.
Finding ideal conditions is all part of the game. If l'Hydroptere could sail in two feet of dead flat water, I'm sure that's what they would do. That they require a large body of water to sail in is a limiting constraint on this craft. Just as some of the other record breakers were limited in that they would disintegrate if sailed in 1 foot or more of chop.
The fact that so many different craft have gotten near and over the 50knot hump is what really makes the battle for the record exciting. It would be totally boring if one style of craft continued to hold the record. The kites have it right now, but I could see any of the superfast craft taking it back - windsurfers, l'hydroptere, sail rocket, YPE...
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