Grand entry!Audemars Piguet: l'Hydroptère.ch takes to the water!
After three years of research, development and construction, l’Hydroptère.ch made its grand entry onto the legendary stage of Lake Léman, Switzerland on Friday October 8th. The trial platform created in partnership with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, designed to serve as a test bench for new solutions with view to building the future l’Hydroptère maxi, has officially taken off!
In a ceremony attended by Philippe Merk, CEO of Audemars Piguet, Alain Thébault and Jean-Mathieu Bourgeon were delighted to present this new high-tech compendium to the press. Transported by helicopter from the Décision SA shipyard, l’Hydroptère.ch was quickly flown over the few kilometres between its birthplace and Lake Léman, and then set down on the water just off the village of Saint-Sulpice, near Lausanne. The 150 guests who had come to admire the new winged prototype revelled in the bright sunshine playing across the waters of Lake Léman as it lapped gently around the new sailcraft. Witnessing the official launch of l’Hydroptère’s baby brother was an emotional moment for the entire team, and Philippe Merk also admitted to being “very proud of this incredible project that heralds the start of many new adventures.”
The sleekly elegant l’Hydroptère.ch was rapidly taken to Morges where it will be moored during the initial period of sailing sessions. Alain Thébault and his crew did not wait long before undertaking the first tests in real-life conditions, since they set sail at the end of the very next afternoon, after a few adjustments. Despite the gathering dusk, the catamaran took off at a fine pace and reached a speed of 20 knots in a steady ten-knot wind.
The flying will be gradually extended thanks to analyses of the data collected during each sailing session. “The first flight of a boat is always very exciting. A sailboat is not only an assembly of carbon and titanium, but is also imbued with a soul stemming from its history, its genesis. l’Hydroptère.ch is borne on the shoulders of three generations: our retired aeronautical specialists, our young engineers who are central to the project, our partners Audemars Piguet and Lombard Odier, and our crew composed of sailors and engineers. The dream continues, and we are now eager to sail and to explore the potential of our new prototype on Lake Léman”, says Alain Thébault.
The next few days will be devoted to adjustments. As with any prototype, the team foresees a significant fine-tuning and adjustment phase and will take the time required to do things progressively.