SpeedDream - quest for the fastest monohull on the planet

July 2010

This brochure about SpeedDream is brought to you by www.courseforadventure.com see page 30-31 for more information

SOMETHING’S BREWING......and it’s going to take the world by storm

1. The Goal 2. The Team 3. Design Background

4. Record Setting

5. Why a Monohull?

6. Technical Aspects

7. Going Green! 8. SpeedDream Media

9. Gaining Strength 10. Moving Forward

11. Sponsor’s ReturnsCO

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EN

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SpeedDream

THE GOAL-5

of commerce

between America and

Europe and ultimately led to the rapid

growth of the United States.

The hunger for speed is a principal

motivator in a variety of sports. Pierre

de Coubertin, the founder of the modern

Olympic movement gave to people “who

dare to try to break records” this inspir-

ing motto: “ Citius, Altius, Fortius – Faster,

Higher, Stronger”. It’s worth pointing out

that the notion of speed goes first in the

Olympic motto.

Over the last few decades the quest

for speed in sailing has forged two distinct

and different paths; those utilizing tradi-

tional monohulls, and a small, elite group

of high performance multihull enthusiasts

represented mostly by sailors from a

single nation – France. This soon led to

the common perception that monohulls

are inheritently slow and nothing could

ever change this.

SpeedDream challenges this percep-

tion. We are confident that our design

concept, based upon cutting edge tech-

nology and Speed-

Dream’s

own innovations

will result in a super-fast monohull capa-

ble of beating catamarans and trimarans

at their own game. With that in mind our

goal is to establish a string of the new

records: to reach top speeds in excess of

50 knots on the open ocean, to establish

the longest day run of more than 1000

miles, to cross the Atlantic and circle the

globe faster than any yacht ever.

We believe that the true impact of this

daring project will extend far beyond set-

ting new sailing records no matter how

lofty they are. Through the SpeedDream

educational programs and innovative

media and communication devices, we

will take sailors and non-sailors alike on

a thrilling ride that reaches beyond the

limits of our current knowledge. We in-

tend to inspire imagination and challenge

established perceptions.

SpeedDream is a campaign to ac-

complish something that today seems

impossible and turn it into reality.

Quest for the fastest monohull on the planetFor millennia the quest for

speed was among the main

driving forces of progress.

Boatbuilding, railroads, automotive

and aerospace industries all grew

and advanced from our insatiable

appetite for moving faster, cover-

ing greater distances in the shortest

possible time.

Big ocean liners that plied the

waters between Europe and America

were fighting for the famous Blue

Riband Trophy. Although it was just an

honorary prize with no monetary value,

it generated fierce competition with

great rewards for the Trophy holder.

Many passengers wanted to travel

on the fastest liner to reduce their

time at sea. Considerable commercial

contracts for transatlantic deliveries

were awarded to the fastest ships.

Eventually national pride came into

play. The quest for the Blue Riband

contributed greatly to technological

advancement which created an

explos ion

SpeedDream

THE TEAM-7

To achieve our goals we are assem-

bling the very best international

team of designers, engineers,

adventurers, sailors and dedicated

sponsors. All team members will bring

their diverse expertise in business and

management, media and communica-

tions, offshore racing design, multihull

and powerboat design, hydrodynamics,

structural engineering and advanced

composites to this exciting project.

The SpeedDream Team already

includes an impressive list of the

most talented and accomplished

specialists in their respective

areas and is growing steadi-

ly. Among those individuals

and organization that have

joined the SpeedDream

Team or expressed

strong interest in get-

ting involved are:

Quest for the fastest monohull on the planet

Project Leader - Design Coordinator

Skipper

Business and Financing

Research and Development

Design Development

Composite Boat Construction

Advanced Composite Materialsand Technologies

Structural Engineering

Mechanical Engineering Rig Engineering

Sail Development

Media and Communications

TV Documentary

Vlad Murnikov

Cam Lewis

John CarlsonFidelity Investments, Boston, USA

Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ, USA

Pedrick Yacht Design, Newport, USARodger Martin Design, Newport, USA

Eric Goetz Boatbuilders, RI, USA

Jean-Pierre Mouligne, Gurit, RI, USASP-High Modulus, UK-NZ

SP-High Modulus, UK-NZSDK Structures, RI, USA

Eugene Platon, Ukraine Hall Spars, RI, USA

Doyle Sailmakers, MA, USA

Brian Hancock, Marblehead, USA

Discovery Channel, CanadaMike Mathis Production, LA, USARick Deppe, Philadelphia, USA

SpeedDream

DESIGN BACKGROUND-9

“The SpeedDream challenge is particularly interesting because of the evolution of unrestricted sailboat design over the last 30 years. With recent developments in the Volvo Ocean Race, the multihull America’s Cup, A-Class cats and the Open Class there is no question in my mind that SpeedDream can be the next Transocean record breaker with the talent available to a design and engineering team led by Vlad Murnikov.”

RODGER MARTIN - RODGER MARTIN YACHT DESIGN

Quest for the fastest monohull on the planetSpeedDream is a brainchild

of Vlad Murnikov, a radical sailboat

designer, born in Russia, now based

in the United States. Vlad was the project

leader and design coordinator for FAZISI,

Russia’s first-ever entry in the Whitbread

Round the World Race. The Whitbread,

now known as the Volvo Ocean Race, is the

premier global sailing competition. In the

1989-90 Whitbread race, not only did the

remarkable FAZISI with her minimal bud-

get and crew of novice sailors overcome

impossible odds to place 11th in a field

of the world’s best yachts, she post-

ed the next-to-longest 24-hour run,

racking up a then-incredible 386

miles in a single day.

FAZISI was one of the light-

est boats in the entire Whit-

bread fleet. Although the

very heavy STEINLAGER,

the New Zealand ketch under the

command of her legendary skipper

Peter Blake won the race, the light-

d i s -

p l a c e m e n t

boats ultimately won the design com-

petition. Today they completely dominate

the racing scene getting lighter and faster

with each new generation. Murnikov’s unique

SpeedDream concept improves upon the

once-revolutionary FAZISI blueprint and

advances the scientific art of boat design

into as yet uncharted territory.

Another trend-setting design that influ-

enced the SpeedDream concept was MX-Ray,

a revolutionary boat that forever changed

small boat sailing. When Murnikov came up

with the idea of super-fast single-handed

dinghy carrying an asymmetric spinnaker,

nobody believed that the concept would

work and that there would be sailors skilful

enough to handle such a boat.

Not only did the tiny 13-foot MX-Ray

proved to be extremely fast, capable of

reaching 27 knots, she turned out to be

great fun and very easy to operate. Over the

ye a r s

more than a

half-dozen designs from various man-

ufacturers followed in her wake and to-

day practically every dinghy producer

has a similar boat in their line-up.

It is from the MX-Ray that Speed-

Dream has borrowed her sharp wave-

piercing bow, very narrow waterline, and

dart-shaped hull.

Other members of the SpeedDream

design team are bringing in their cutting

edge expertise in offshore racing boats,

record setting multihulls, hydrodynamics,

structural engineering, as well as hydro-

foil and keel design. On top of this Speed-

Dream’s innovative rig and sails are going

be developed by the industry leaders. We

are confident that our team is capable of

producing the fastest boat ever.

SpeedDream

RECORD SETTING-11


“Right now there is so much development in multihulls that it seems like monohulls are forgotten or the mono’s that are built are really outgrowths of boats designed to the rating rules. A full on mono-hull that takes advantage of some of the best developments in multihulls [canting rigs, wing masts, foils] and some of the best developments in monohulls [foils, canting keels] will break new ground and serve to blend the multi and mono world together into a pure speed machine. It will be a challenge to build such a vessel that is designed for speed, engineered for lightness and strength, and built to survive. We salute the SpeedDream team for the concept. Now we look forward to the execution.”

ERIC GOETZ - MASTER BOATBUILDER

In 2008 world-renowned

adventurer Richard Branson tried

to break the current transatlantic

monohull sailing record

of 6 days, 17

hours, 52 min-

utes and 39 seconds on

a Super-Maxi called Virgin Money. Bran-

son and his highly experienced crew had

to abandon the attempt when the boat

started breaking apart in the mid-

dle of the ocean. We believe that

SpeedDream will be able to beat

what Branson calls “one of the

greatest records of all time”,

by three days by bridging the

performance gap between

monohulls and multihulls.

These days catama-

rans and trimarans com-

pletely

dominate highly

competitive record-setting attempts.

In 2009 Pascal Bidegorry aboard trimaran

Banque Populare set an incredible record

for an eastbound transatlantic crossing – 3

days, 15 hours, 25 minutes and 48 seconds!

Now the time has come for a monohull to try

beating multihulls at their own game.

We believe that with the right crew

and weather conditions, SpeedDream will

breeze across the Atlantic in record time

reaching top speeds in excess of 50 knots.

With sustained speeds averaging 40-45

knots, SpeedDream may even break the

mythical 1,000-mile-a-day barrier, a num-

ber that has tantalized sailors for years.

Likewise, the challenge for the presti-

gious Jules Verne Trophy awarded for the

fas t-

est global cir-

cumnavigation, has been completely

taken over by multihulls. In almost two

decades no monohull has even tried to

challenge their domination. After test-

ing her performance in the series of

transatlantic record runs, SpeedDream

will set out to change all this.

Other transoceanic speed records will

follow. Transpacific crossings from Los

Angeles to Honolulu and from San Fran-

cisco to Yokohama, as well as the sprint

from Miami to New York City and record

speed setting during the Newport Ber-

muda and Sydney Hobart races are in the

SpeedDream cross-hairs.

SpeedDream

WHY A MONOHULL?The SpeedDream project is a

quest to design and build the

world’s fastest monohull, capa-

ble of establishing remarkable speed

records in open ocean conditions in-

cluding fastest transatlantic crossing

and global circumnavigation.

Why a monohull?

For decades catamarans and trima-

rans were the fastest sailboats to ply

world oceans, proving time and again

their huge performance potential. All

this time multihulls enjoyed unrestrict-

ed development while their designers were

free to explore every possibility in order to

find the best recipe for speed.

Monohull development, on the other

hand, has always been governed by class

rules which put a huge damper on their

performance capabilities. The VOR 70,

today’s fastest monohull, is a relatively

conservative design which in order to re-

duce costs - and risks associated with the

ultimate ocean race - has been devel-

oped in accordance to strict “box” rules.

The rule puts limits on lengths, beam,

draft, displacement, rig dimensions, sail

area - all the major design parameters -

as well as materials that can be used for

the boat construction. And yet, despite all

these restrictions, VOR 70s are capable

of reaching speed in excess of 40 knots,

the same as the fastest multihulls. How-

ever catamarans and trimarans with

their needle-like hull forms can sustain

higher speed for a substantially longer

time periods than much wider and short-

er monohulls. Because of their relative

beam and length monoghulls tend to

-13

slow down after each burst of speed.

The SpeedDream team believes that

the multihull performance could be

matched and possibly even exceeded

by a monohull if only we could discard

all the restrictions and design the most

advanced boat possible. After all multi-

hulls, no matter how big, long and slen-

der, still sail in displacement mode while

high-speed monohulls can glide over the

water in a much more efficient planing

mode. We see potential for a huge jump

in monohull performance, a true revolution

in design, while catamarans and trimarans

would continue their incremental advance-

ment, evolving larger and wider while

growing more complex and costly.

Generally, light boats are fast. Mono-

hull critics are quick to point out the bal-

last weight that traditional boat has to

carry in order to achieve sufficient stabil-

ity. But recent advancements in canting

keel design allows for enormous

gains

in stability while

reducing ballast weight. True, multihulls

don’t need ballast for generating righting

moment, but they have to carry around the

weight of at least one or even two extra hulls

plus all the complex structure necessary to

keep it all together. We believe that modern

technology makes it possible to produce a

monohull with a comparable weight and right-

ing moment of a multihull, while taking full

advantage of the drag reduction due to the

high-speed planing hull.

Our preliminary estimates show that the

SpeedDream concept would result in a monohull

capable of reaching 50-knot speed and maintain-

ing average speed on par with the fastest multi-

hulls. Building the world’s fastest monohull adds a

new level of excitement to the never-ending quest

for speed. It will question the status quo and

shatter existing stereotypes of high performance

sailing. It would effect the sailing community in a

more profound way than any speed-record multi-

hull simply because the vast majority of boats are

monohulls. The design innovation and research

that will go into this project and the experience

gained will benefit future sailboat design, setting

direction for next generations of sailing yachts.


“There is no doubt that a monohull design that is un-fettered by the design constraints of various racing rules and the need to perform on short around-the-buoys races, can be optimized to achieve speeds significantly higher than cur-rently existing designs. With the proper conditions these high speeds will translate into record breaking passage times.

Many of the proposed features of the SpeedDream yacht represent further development of proven speed en-hancing features combined together into a no-compromise package. Cant-ing keels, canting rigs, lifting foils & innovative hull shapes are all current-ly utilized concepts that are increas-ing the speed of the existing fleet of high performance sailing yachts.”

STEVE KOOPMANSDK STRUCTURES LLC

SpeedDream

TECHNICAL ASPECTS-15

SLENDER HULL THAT SAILS

THROUGH WAVES

High performance results

from a combination of two main factors:

providing the boat with enough power

and reducing her re-

sistance in order to

utilize this power in

the most effi-

cient way. Some design-

ers focus performance optimization on the

power increase. Multihulls are typical of this

approach as they grow larger and wider with

every new generation to achieve higher and

higher sail-carrying capacity. The problem,

however, is that over-powered vessels are

over-stressed, requiring more and more ro-

bust structure to survive. This comes at the

expense of extra weight, calling in turn for

even more power to maintain speed.

Our solution is to reduce drag by all means

possible. This way all available wind power

is used more efficiently, requiring less sail

area to achieve higher speeds. Less righting

moment is needed, the boat is less stressed

and can in fact become lighter while remain-

ing just as strong. Lighter means faster.

To greatly reduce resistance SpeedDream

features a relatively narrow, slender hull, al-

most triangular in plan view and equipped

with a sharp wave-piercing bow. The goal is

to reduce drag in heavy seas as well as to

minimize pitching and slamming.

The boat is designed to sail most of time

with a constant heel angle of around 20-25

degrees. This angle of heel is maintained

b y

adjusting sail

area and keel angle to suit wind

conditions. Both the hull and rig are op-

timized to be at peak efficiency in these

conditions with the hull having two narrow,

planing surfaces port and starboard, each

tilted at 20-25 degrees.

During further design development we

will have to verify the optimal heel angle

and determine both shape and width of the

planing surfaces to achieve best combina-

tion of maximum hydrodynamic lift and

minimal hull drag. The overall hull design

will concentrate on reducing its volume and

surface area, while moving buoyancy and

hydraulic lift as far outboard as possible.

THE ULTIMATE CANTING KEEL

The VOR 70 rules limit keel cant to 40

degrees. Geometry of currently used cant-

ing systems allows maximum cant up to 50

degrees, beyond which loads grow danger-

ously high. For the SpeedDream concept

we have developed a proprietary system

that allows much higher cant angles while

AQuest for the fastest monohull on the planet

SpeedDream

maintaining significantly reduced loads.

The goal is to ultimately taking the keel

completely out of water and thus remov-

ing significant portion of the strut and

bulb drag, eliminating their buoyancy

and maximizing righting moment.

Even if the keel is going to periodi-

cally get submerged in waves, on the

average this concept promises sizable

benefits for overall drag reduction.

Future research and development

should concentrate on finding optimal

keel and strut shape to minimize drag

while awash with waves.

A BOAT WITH WINGS

Wings were attached to the keel

in 1983 to help the Australians win

the America’s Cup. Hydrofoils allow a

t i n y

Moth dinghy to reach

speeds of 30 knots. Recently we saw a

huge wing sail propelling BMW Oracle

in their Americas Cup victory. Now the

SpeedDream designers are looking clos-

er at wings, trying to utilize uniquely

shaped hydrofoils to create additional

righting moment and to partially offset

the boat’s displacement. Placed near the

center of gravity to diminish the nega-

tive effect of hull movement on their

performance, these foils will be capable

of creating lift equal to 30-50% of the

total displacement. The wings could be

retractable or fixed and could be used

as separate appendages or in combina-

tion with a daggerboard. The parameters

of the wing will be decided in the later

stages of design process.

M A K I N G

A WET BOAT LESS WET - AND

MORE BEAUTIFUL

It’s hard to underestimate the im-

portance of the deck design and layout

as it relates to performance the Speed-

Dream boat since at high speed her deck

will frequently get submerged. Its shape

will be sculptured to quickly shed water

and to prevent large amounts of water

reaching the cockpit. All of this will help

reduce resistance and provide the best

protection for the crew.

Naturally the task of protecting the

crew from the elements on a boat intended

to reach 50+ knots in real ocean condition

is an enormous design challenge, but we

have a few interesting tricks up our sleeve

that will help make this inevitably wet boat,

a little bit less wet and more comfortable

for her crew.

-17

T h e

deck, with several

strategically placed breakwaters, is de-

signed to shed water aside as quickly as

possible. The cockpit is set as far aft

as possible and is significantly elevated

relative to the rest of boat. Both the

helmsman and crew are protected by

oversized dodgers. The cockpit sole is

a mesh trampoline with a deep, steeply

sloped channel below that allows water

to easily discharge through the open

transom with minimal impact on the

crew and boat speed.

All the functional attributes of the

SpeedDream design also contribute to

the boat’s strikingly futuristic image.

The SpeedDream design team views

design as part science and part art and

believe that beautiful boats are fast

boats. This boat looks like nothing ever

seen before and to our eye she is very

beautiful. Therefore she has to be very

fast.

LEARNING FROM POWERBOATS

Among other venues we are actively

exploring are applications of stepped

hulls, spray rails and other speed-en-

hancing features widely used on pow-

erboats. The next step will be to take

a closer look at the benefits of bottom

aeration in order to further reduce wet-

ted surface. And that’s only a start.

During the extensive research and de-

velopment process, throughout design,

construction and boat testing, designers

and engineers will keep improving our

revolutionary SpeedDream concept until

it evolves into the most extraordinary

speed machine ever.

A SYMBIOSIS OF MAN AND MACHINE

In addition to a wide use of the most

advanced design and engineering software

(CFD, VPP and FEA), as well as accurate

weather analysis and prediction, a unique

package of the SpeedDream proprietary

software will be developed in cooperation

with the leading software developers and

research centers. It will allow precise con-

trol of the canting keel, rig and winches,

and to some degree sail trim.

It will also help minimize the energy

consumption necessary to operate the

boat’s controls. Numerous stress sen-

sors connected to a central CPU will be

installed in crucial points on the hull

and rig structure to monitor loads and

to alert the crew in case they are reach-

ing a safety threshold. By measuring the

actual loads and stresses that the boat

is under, instead of using the arbitrary

design safety factors, will result in con-

siderable weigh savings while making the

entire structure lighter and more durable.

Our goal is make SpeedDream a true

21st century technological marvel, a

symbiosis of man and machine, which

fully integrates the sailor’s experience,

skill, intuition and sensory reactions with

the computer’s power and speed.


SpeedDream

GOING GREEN-19

A high profile PlanetSolar project

is currently underway aimed at

circumnavigating the globe on a

100 foot vessel powered by entirely so-

lar panels in order to demonstrate the

possibilities of clean energy. It’s a noble

goal, but let’s not forget that people have

been using the clean energy of wind for

Millennia, and with great results. Our

SpeedDream project will remind the

world that sailboats are, in fact,

the ultimate clean, no-emission

vessels, infinitely more effi-

cient than solar pow-

ered ones. The

450sq. meter area of so-

lar panels that powers PlanetSolar could

generate 90kW of power (126hp). Sails of

roughly the same area will provide Speed-

Dream with the equivalent of 3000hp and

propel her through the ocean at 50 knots.

We hope that our project will highlight the

fact that sailboats are the most efficient, by

far the cleanest, and very nearly the fastest

vessels on the planet.

Part of the SpeedDream design concept

is to reduce, by all means possible, the

boat’s energy consumption. A typical VOR

70 requires running an auxiliary diesel

generator of 50hp or more, almost con-

stantly, to recharge batteries, main-

tain pressure in the hydraulic system,


run com-

puters, navigational

instruments and other electronic devis-

es. One of SpeedDream’s main goals is

to eliminate on-board diesel entirely, re-

placing it with a small wind generator and

solar panels. With careful engineering,

the negative effect of any extra weight

and increase in drag will be offset by

the elimination of fuel tanks and engine

weight. Most importantly, SpeedDream

will be emissions free and will rely totally

on wind and solar energy power.

SpeedDream will prove that being

green is not only responsible but it can be

fast and fun.

“Research staff at Stevens Institute of Technology, Davidson Laboratory view the SpeedDream idea as technically challenging but also as a promising concept. The R&D will consider a number of topics in hy-dromechanics related to the wave-piercing hull concept, the large angle canting keel, and the hydrofoil-based stability system. While these innovative ideas offer the possibility of performance gains, they also present unique engineering challenges. If successful, SpeedDream will lead to a paradigm-shift in the notional definition of a high speed ocean going racing yacht.”

LEN IMAS - STEVENS INSTITUTE

SpeedDream

MEDIA-21

Few sights in the world can match

the raw power, excitement and

wild beauty of the open ocean es-

pecially from on board a futuristic vessel

sailing in excess of 50 knots. Now, with

satellite technology and small, handheld

HD cameras, live footage from on board

the boat can be captured and streamed

globally in virtual real time.

The Canadian Discovery Channel’s

award winning program Daily Planet has

expressed strong interest in cov-

ering the SpeedDream

project.

Daily Planet

intends to produce a num-

ber of segments that will capture the

pure essence of offshore record setting

and bring it directly into living rooms. No

longer will sailors and adventurers toil in

relative obscurity; the drama, personal

stories and adrenaline induced excite-

ment will be documented every step of

the way – through construction, testing

and record setting

attempts.

In addition to the ambitious television

programming, SpeedDream Media will take

full advantage of social networking with con-

stant YouTube video releases, Facebook and

Twitter updates, and a stream of quality on-

line media including a SpeedDream blog and

website that will feature rights free video

and images for download.

The sailing print media has al-

ready embraced SpeedDream and will

continue to feature the project, how-

ever the thrust going forward will

be into life-

style and technology

sectors to broaden the reach of Speed-

Dream and excite a whole new audience to

open ocean record setting. A quarterly on-

line magazine will be produced along with a

coffee table book of SpeedDream from its

inception to 50 knot reality.

In the first months since officially launch-

ing SpeedDream, the project has been fea-

tured in dozens of websites and numerous

quality magazines from as far away as Ja-

pan, India, Russia and the Netherlands.


ABOUT DAILY PLANET

Daily Planet is the internationally award-winning flagship show of Discovery Channel Canada. Now in its 15th season, Daily Planet is the first nightly prime time science magazine show in the world and has grown in the last decade to become a powerhouse of science and technology broadcasting internationally. With combined plays on Discovery Channel and the full CTV network, Daily Planet reaches an impressive 3.9 million viewers each week in Canada alone.

From the lab to the living room, Daily Planet brings the world of science not only to Canada, but to millions of viewers worldwide.

SpeedDream

GAINING STRENGTH-23

SpeedDream Design has moved

from conceptual into develop-

ment stage, verifying and opti-

mizing every technical aspect to ensure

our boat’s outstanding performance

characteristics. The initial structural

study that has been recently conduct-

ed by SP-High Modulus confirmed Vlad

Murnikov’s weight and strength esti-

mates and made it clear that the

desired displacement of

18 tons is absolutely a

realistic target. The in-

novative configuration amid-

ships of the canting keel, lifting foil

and rig attachment points, is, as expect-

ed, to be the most challenging region

of the structure. Further refinements of

the design and structure will come in

due course. Nevertheless, the de-

sign team is confident that after

a comprehensive and de-

tailed design process

such as using

finite el-

ement analysis,

alongside design optimisa-

tion software, it will validate the initial com-

posite weight estimates.

SP-High Modulus is the marine division

of Gurit, a global leader in advanced com-

posite materials manufacturing and engi-

neering. Gurit technology contributed to

the success of numerous projects in wind

energy, aerospace, automotive and the

marine industry.

SpeedDream’s highly inno-

vative nature and

chal leng-

ing re-

qu i r ement s

are ideally

suited for the

Gurit’s ad-

vanced com-

posites appli-

cations.

Says Francisco Santos, SP-High Modulus

engineer in charge of SpeedDream develop-

ment, “This project comprises design that

clearly goes out of mainstream and presents


a

motivating and

fascinating opportunity for new design

philosophies.”

SpeedDream -27

MOVING FORWARD

Cam Lewis, one of the

most successful all-round sailors

in the world, will captain Speed-

Dream. From sailing in the Americas

Cup, skippering the maxi-catamaran

Team Adventure and winning the 505

dingy World Championships, Cam

is among the elite of the sport.

“My mantra in life is to sail

fast. On any boat. In any wa-

ters. The SpeedDream project

is all about innovation, speed

and going places as fast as

possible. I am thrilled to

be named as captain of

SpeedDream and will

do all I can to help

Vlad Murnikov and

his team set new

records and reach

new heights.”

Quest for the fastest monohull on the planetALEXANDER KEDISHVILI,

General Director of Fazis-Moscow, was

among the first to recognize the tal-

ents of Vlad Murnikov and to champion

his efforts by sponsoring FAZISI in the

1989/90 Whitbread Race.

B ack in 1988, at the very beginning

of Perestroika, the Soviet Govern-

ment eased its total monopoly on

foreign trade and commerce and allowed

formation of the Joint Ventures with the

Western companies. Energetic people, full

of ideas and plans, immediately seized

the opportunity.

One of the first such Joint Ventures –

Fazis SP, was created in Georgia on the

Black Sea shores, and it was there that Vlad

Murnikov brought his idea of building high

performance sailboats. Lead by his dream,

he charged forward undeterred by the lack

of money and experience. A great design-

er himself, he gathered a team of talented

people who added their enthusiasm to the

Fazis SP’s manufacturing capability and ad-

vanced materials and technology. Our goal in

sponsoring Vlad Murniikov’s dream was not

just participation in the Whitbread Round

the

World Race.

We wanted to promote our business

worldwide and seek ways of cooperation with

world’s best companies.

Nobody believed then that the Soviet Union

was capable of taking part in the world’s most

challenging ocean race. The commonplace

skepticism, however, was crushed by Vlad’s

unfaltering optimisms and determination. In

unthinkably short time his team found more

sponsorship, including the support form the

Western companies, designed and built the

most radical and innovative 83-ft yacht, and

brought it from Georgia to England aboard

the world’s biggest cargo plane. I am cer-

tain nobody could ever repeat this. Except for

Vlad Murnikov himself.

The yacht FAZISI did well in the Whitbread

Race 1989-90. Our company received numer-

ous attractive business proposals as well as

the first orders to build yachts at our facility

in Georgia. I want to believe that the talent

and enthusiasm of people like Vlad and his

new SpeedDream team this time around will

benefit not only his new homeland America

but his native Russia as well.

SpeedDream -29

SPONSOR’S RETURN

SpeedDream will be a

major media event, not only

within the sailing community,

but also among a broad audience of

lifestyle and adventure enthusiasts.

Speed has always captured the imagi-

nation of the general public and with

the global power of the Discovery

Channel as our media partner, we ful-

ly expect that there will be an inter-

national audience for this quest.

The demographics of a sailing au-

dience are among the highest income

earners and we invite sponsors and in-

vestors who seek worldwide exposure

to this group of individuals to join us.

The returns will not be fleeting. Record

setting and the variety of television pro-

grams surrounding the various attempts

will ensure continued

e x -

posure for at least

a decade. Starting with build-

ing a scaled down prototype, to the full

scale yacht and the various derivations

as

the design is

refined, sponsors will become fully

integrated into SpeedDream. There will be

numerous avenues for marketing, promo-

tion, client entertaining and branding as

the project develops and this can be done

at an international level.

In 1985 British entrepreneur Richard

Branson used a similar project as a pro-

motional tool to win over business and cli-

ents. In order to gain maximum publicity

his new airline, Virgin Atlantic, he set out

to establish a new speed record of crossing

Atlantic on a powerboat. Not only the su-

per fast vessel called Virgin Atlantic Chal-

lenger helped generate enough publicity to

successfully launch his airline. It also pro-

pelled Richard Branson into celebrity star-

dom, making

him a best-

known modern

adventurer. Speed-

Dream is certain to spark a renewed

interest in the ocean record setting.

Multihull aficionados, no doubt, will fight

hard to keep their fading dominance, while

more monohull sailors, encouraged by the

SpeedDream campaign, would challenge it.

As this

rivalry would continue

for many years to come, SpeedDream

will remain the pioneer, the first yacht to

challenge the status quo and our partners

and sponsors will continue enjoying the

benefits of their involvement in our proj-

ect. This long lasting residual effect of the

SpeedDream legacy would become one of

the many tangible marketing returns for

our sponsors


“Every few years something special comes along and it quickly captures the public’s imagination. Speed and technology have always intregued people and I am absolutely certain that SpeedDream will do just that. It has the right balance of ambition, engineering performance, style and raw sex appeal. Just wait and see. SpeedDream is going to set the world on fire.”

BRIAN HANCOCK

Course for Adventure, featuring books by Vlad Murnikov, Cam Lewis & Brian Hancock, all key members of SpeedDream.

Visit www.courseforadventure.com. Here you will find blogs, books and videos that will inspire you to toss the lines ashore and head for that distant horizon.

We invite you to join our community, subscribe to our blogs and watch the online videos. There are free chap-ters and lots of other incentives to encourage you to get your sailing fix from www.courseforadventure.com

CONTACTS

PROJECT LEADER

Vlad Murnikov - 1 617 861 7184

[email protected]

MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Brian Hancock - 1 617 314 4468

[email protected]

BUSINESS AND FINANCE

John Carlson

[email protected]

SpeedDream - quest for the fastest monohull on the planet

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