Ferrari Hypersail hull completed as Maranello reveals flight control technology

30 metres long, a 40-metre mast and a Maranello livery

Hypersail is 30 m long and 20 m wide, with a 40 m mast. The hull was designed by Guillaume Verdier's studio, one of the best-known names in foiling race yacht design, and the boat is being built by Ferrari in its own facility in Pisa rather than at an outside yard. The project is led by Enrico Voltolini, with Italian ocean sailor Giovanni Soldini as its figurehead.

Ferrari unveiled the livery in April at Milan Design Week. The carbon fibre hull wears a new grey shade, Grigio Hypersail, while the cabin, foils and hull lines are picked out in Giallo Fly yellow, echoing the colour split of the classic 512 BB. Solar panels are integrated into the deck and hull sides, as the boat is designed to be fully energy self-sufficient.

Three points of support: foils, keel and rudder

The boat's flight relies on three appendages that together create three support and control points. The side wing foils generate the upward lift that raises the hull above the surface, reducing drag and allowing the boat to reach its target speeds.

The keel is the project's signature innovation. It integrates a foil with its own movable flap, which contributes to flight management and creates a third support point for stability. The rudder also does more than steer: a small movable flap on its vertical section makes continuous micro-adjustments to hold the target heading.

Flight Control: the electronic brain on board

Flight Control is the electronic system Ferrari describes as the boat's central nervous system, drawing on Maranello's know-how in automotive electronics and dynamic control. It continuously analyses wind, waves, speed and heel angle and adjusts the boat's trim in real time during foil-borne sailing.

The system works in three stages. A network of sensors measures sea state and hull movements, an onboard computer analyses the data and calculates corrections, and actuators, mechanical arms and pistons, move the components that set the angle of the foils and appendages. Ferrari stresses that the crew remains central: automation handles what can be optimised, leaving sailors free to read the sea, make strategic decisions and push for maximum performance.

Carbon fibre and titanium borrowed from sports cars

Precise flight control demands an extremely stiff structure. The hull is built from multiple layers of carbon fibre, preventing deformation under heavy ocean loads and allowing the appendages to respond precisely to commands. In the most heavily loaded areas, such as the foil arms and the mainsheet traveller, a sandwich construction combines carbon fibre and titanium, a material pairing taken directly from Ferrari's sports cars.

More than 20 patents from Maranello

Building the boat entirely in-house has already produced more than 20 patents. They include Winch by Wire, extended-range wind turbines and a medium and high voltage system for integrating renewable energy, presented in July together with the energy self-sufficiency concept. They are complemented by a rotating mast fitted with winglets and a double-skin mainsail for better sail control.

Ferrari draws a direct parallel between a sports car and a flying monohull: both need maximum aerodynamic efficiency and electronics that detect and correct the vehicle's responses. Computer simulation, airflow analysis and the software that stabilises Ferrari's cars are therefore key tools in making the boat fly, while data from the trials will feed back into Maranello's engineering knowledge.

A Livorno base and launch by the end of the year

In early October the team announced Livorno as its base for shore and offshore operations, within Azimut Yachts' premises. ABB has joined as technology partner for electrification. Launch is planned for the end of 2026, followed by sea trials ahead of a racing programme aimed at ocean records.