By: Scott Way
We're big fans of Supercar Blondie. Not only does she test drive the coolest cars on Earth but she's also developed a love for boating. We interviewed her about her foray into the boating life back in 2020, and she's definitely found her footing since then. Never one to start slow her first test drive was the world's fastest police boat in Dubai, a 700 horsepower XCAT race boat worth $400k. Her latest video has her cruising in a $1 million Foiler Yacht through the Dubai harbour. The Foiler, as the name would suggest, is a technologically advanced hydrofoil that uses a complex system of foils to allow users to switch between conventional cruising and hydrofoiling above the water.
The Foiler is an engineering marvel that needs a second look just to wrap your head around. The vessel is built from a complete carbon fiber hull with a unique dual V8 diesel propulsion system generating 740 horsepower. Two onboard engines power the Foiler's torpedoes to give it a top speed of 40 knots (46 mph), which is impressive considering its overall length of 9.8 m (32 ft) and 3.3 m (11 ft) beam. As a hydrofoil the boat is 40% more efficient than a conventional hull, although that efficiency is likely made back by the hefty $1 million price tag.
At 20 knots the Foiler has a range of 190 nautical miles (352 km), and at 30 knots a total range of 150 nautical miles (278 km). Those are reasonable numbers, especially considering designs like the Candela C7 are using a similar hydrofoil design (albeit with electric power) and cannot touch those range figures. Other performance figures from the Foiler are impressive, like a top speed of 35 knots (64 km/h) while cruising conventionally, and 40 knots (74 km/h) while foiling. While foiling the vessel hovers 1.5 m (5 ft) above the waterline, meaning that even midsize waves will roll under the hull for a smoother, dryer, and more efficient ride. She carries a 1.9 m (6 ft) draught when tucked in.
One of the coolest things about the Foiler is her appearance. There just isn't another design out there like her. While underway in full hydrofoil she boasts a lofty beam of 7.2 m (24 ft) compared to an overall length of 9.8m (32 ft). In other words, she's almost as wide as she is long. The other eye catching feature is 'Archimedean mode,' where the foils stay tucked into the hull and keep her overall width to just 3.3 m (11 ft) for close quarters maneuvering and docking. Even in Archimedean mode the Foiler can still travel up to 28 knots ( 51 km/h) and has a take-off speed of 18 knots ( 33 km/h).
Check out Supercar Blondie's adventure in the Foiler below:
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