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Speed Challenge
The World Speed Sailing Record.
 The sport of Speed Sailing is quite simply the pinnacle of yachting achievement. Speed Sailing boats are the fastest and most spectacular wind powered craft on water. The world speed sailing record is the nautical equivalent of the land speed record. Timed over a 500m course close to the shore, record attempts are one of the most exciting and easily visible events in yachting.
I was primarily involved during July - Dec 1997 & March 1998 in the making of Bootiful, because of my experience, knowledge and skill.
After 20 years as a top boat designer and professional windsurfer, Simon Sanderson decided to make an assault on the World Speed Sailing Record by designing a radical,  new superboat. Simon tested the concept with a 20ft prototype that won the Weymouth Speed Sailing Championship and caused a sensation at the Southampton Boatshow.
With proof to back up the concept, Simon and fellow crewman and business partner Tom Marriott created The Unlimited Speed Sailing Co. with headquarters in Norfolk. They secured the backing of Bernard Matthews to build a 60ft (18.2m) long, 72ft (22m) high, state-of-the-art catamaran called Bootiful to take on the world. The team’s main aim is to break the World Speed Sailing Record (currently held by the Australians Yellopages at 46 knots (53 mph) and set a new bench mark in Yachting performance of over 50 knots (60mph).
Bootiful is the carbon fibre brainchild of all Simon’s experiences, chiefly his genius at designing windsurfers. His abilitys have earned him numerous records. In 1988 Simon Sanderson designed and shaped the windsurfing board that enabled Erik Beale to beat more than 40 knots and hold the record for 2 years.
 Bootiful uses proven windsurfing technology. Despite her 60ft length she weighs just 750kg, 90 per cent less than a conventional racing catamaran of the same size. Her two flat bottomed hulls will skim the surface of the water like windsurf boards while another radical aspect of the design is the absence of rudders. The aim is to cut as much weight and water resistance as possible, so Simon and his two crew will steer by moving the mast and sail sited on the x-shaped crossbeam, backwards and forwards along the two hulls. This will be done using pedal power. As the boat speeds up it lifts out of the water until it is skating on the very back-end of each hull. Very long, deep fins prevent it moving sideways.
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