SpeedDream to build a bigger offshore boat

Mike Golding appointed skipper of radical new vessel

SpeedDream, in conjunction with their technology partner, the Russian tech giant Yandex, have announced that they will take the lessons learned from the SpeedDream27 prototype and apply them, along with other innovations, to a much larger offshore prototype. The boat, which will launch during 2014, will be skippered by Mike Golding, one of the most respected offshore sailors in the world.

“We are thrilled to be in a position to build this offshore prototype with the help and support of our technology partner Yandex,” said SpeedDream lead designer Vlad Murnikov. “And we are equally happy that Mike Golding will lend his steady hand to the project assisting with technical support as well as taking on the role of skipper. His experience and long history of winning races is a very valuable asset to SpeedDream and our ongoing quest to build a record breaking sailboat.”

Golding commented: “I was impressed with the SpeedDream prototype when I sailed on the boat last summer. That led to discussions with the SpeedDream team about scaling up their design to a larger offshore prototype. There are some potential breakthrough ideas here that may well change the way we view sailboat design in the future and I am very happy to bring my own experience and ideas to this exciting project.”

Yandex has been the technology partner of SpeedDream since the prototype was launched. Going forward their role will become much more integrated into the overall design, engineering and computer modeling for the offshore prototype. Extensive CFD analysis will be run on Yandex’s powerful computing network to truly test all aspects of the larger design before it is built.

The SpeedDream design team will be expanded to include some well known European race boat design offices, further enhancing the current design team which includes Rodger Martin and Ross Weene of Rodger Martin Yacht Design. The goal is to balance SpeedDream’s revolutionary ideas and innovations against proven race boat design experience and expertise to create a design that can perform offshore. Details of the design collaboration team, as well as the chosen builder, will follow shortly.

Read more about SpeedDream here