How fast is it? It’s a question sailors hate to answer, because it usually comes out as an apology. “She’ll cruise at 6 knots” doesn’t exactly cause gasps among the non-sailors. More than once, some landlubber has spat back “I can run faster than that!” To which the proper reply, should you be faced with such a tactless rube, is “Great! Race you to Australia.”
But wait a minute. While the 276 knot top speed of a powerboat is still a long way off, racing sailboats are no longer the pokey, “it’s the journey, not the destination” craft they once were. With advances in technology, sailboats are going fast – really fast! 50 knots on the water is within reach, by the power of the wind alone. So, gather your coworkers, your brothers-in-law, your unthrillable teenagers, and let them behold: “Sailing fast” is no longer a relative term, and here are 10 of the top boats in the world to prove it…Â Details and Pictures