Video: American SailGP Boat Suffers High-Speed Collision

 

America’s boat in the Rolex SailGP Grand Prix Season 25 event taking place in Sassnitz, Germany, over the weekend, suffered a catastrophic collision with its British rival. The boats were closing, each travelling at over 40 mph in heavy winds, when the collision occurred and caused significant damage.

The American boat, which was sailing on port and therefore did not have priority, had its front hull sliced off by the rudder of the British boat. Luckily, and by the narrowest of margins, there were no casualties.  In the spirit of the competition, the British boat was repaired overnight and sailed the next day with material salvaged from the American boat. The U.S. boat is owned by a group of high-profile sports star investors, chaired by founding Uber engineer Ryan McKillen. 

 

Damage after the high-speed collision (SailGP)

 

 

Boats representing 12 countries are competing in a racing series that, like Formula 1 car racing, travels the world. The competition was founded by Russell Coutts and Larry Ellison in 2018. Events in the 2025 season have already taken place in Dubai, Auckland, Sydney, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Portsmouth, and Sassnitz, with races still to come in St Tropez, Geneva, Cadiz, and the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

The F50 catamarans regularly reach speeds of over 60 mph when up on hydrofoils, with racecourses optimized for spectators viewing the racing on land. Each team competes with an identical boat, meaning that results are based on the skill of the crews and tactics adopted. The hydrofoils and rudders used on the boats are made of higher modulus carbon fiber, the strength of which was evident in the collision between the two boats last weekend. The hydrofoils are designed to delay the onset of cavitation, when air bubbles create friction and drag resistance. Crashes and capsizes are rare, but are high-impact events when they occur because of the speeds involved.

Halfway through the 2025 series, Australia, New Zealand, and Spain are in the top three places, with the American boat falling out of contention, having started the weekend’s sailing at Sassnitz strongly.