BOATS TEST THE LIMITS

TECHNOLOGY allowing SuperFoiler boats to reach 40 knots, equivalent to about 74km/h, will be tested at Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials.

It comes as the actionpacked SuperFoiler Grand Prix descends on Corio Bay this weekend for the second leg of a five-stop national tour.

The Carbon Nexus research team at Deakin Waurn Ponds will complete an analysis on SuperFoiler parts damaged during the Adelaide race last weekend in a bid to improve durability.

Lightweight SuperFoiler boats rely on high-strength carbon fibre technology similar to that being developed at Carbon Nexus.

Carbon Nexus director Derek Buckmaster said the material used in SuperFoiler hulls, sails and foils gave the boats a super-light and superstrong structure allowing them to skim through the water at high speed.

Mr Buckmaster led Steve Thomas and Rhys Mara from Team Pavement on a tour of the state-of-the-art Waurn Ponds facility this week ahead of the weekend Grand Prix.

“We’ve had the opportunity to serve as a pit stop for the sailors prior to their Geelong leg of the Grand Prix, and to lead them through some of the technical aspects of carbon fibre production,” Mr Buckmaster said.

The SuperFoiler Grand Prix has lured some of world’s most talented sailors including Olympic silver medallist Olivia Price, and is headed by Bill Macartney — whose CV includes working alongside Kerry Packer during World Series Cricket.

Deakin is the tertiary education partner of the 2018 SuperFoiler Grand Prix and is using carbon fibre to sculpt this year’s winners trophy.