# Hydrofoil Cruise Ferry to Europe?



## Ozark Southern (Aug 22, 2010)

A colleague who shares my dislike for airlines was telling me about a catamaran cruise ferry that runs across the Atlantic in something like 24 hours. I know there are luxury ships, but I don't have the kind of money for the Queen Mary. I've done some searching, but the only catamarans I've found are short trips, not transoceanic ones. Does such a ship exist, and if so, how can I book it?


----------



## jis (Aug 22, 2010)

It seems to me that if there were a catamaran capable of crossing the Atlantic in 24 hours, one would use similar catamarans to travel to say Miami from New York, since it would be way faster than driving or the train. I am not aware of any water-going vehicle with such sustained speed capabilities.


----------



## Guest (Aug 22, 2010)

If this existed it would hold the Blue Riband. The current holder is the SS United States at 34.51 knots in 3 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes set in 1952


----------



## Ryan (Aug 22, 2010)

That's completely impossible. You'd have to run at around 120 knots to do that, and there's no boat that will cross an ocean that can sustain those kinds of speeds. I've been up around 100 knots on the water in a race boat on a lake, and the 3-4 foot chop was enough to pound you senseless after a few minutes.


----------



## Ozark Southern (Aug 22, 2010)

Guest said:


> If this existed it would hold the Blue Riband. The current holder is the SS United States at 34.51 knots in 3 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes set in 1952


Then the society that gives out that medal is behind the times, because Hoverspeed Great Britain's HSC _Sea Runner_ did the trip at 36.6 knots in 3 days, 7 hours, 54 minutes in 1990.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSC_Sea_Runner


----------



## Ozark Southern (Aug 22, 2010)

Ryan said:


> That's completely impossible. You'd have to run at around 120 knots to do that, and there's no boat that will cross an ocean that can sustain those kinds of speeds. I've been up around 100 knots on the water in a race boat on a lake, and the 3-4 foot chop was enough to pound you senseless after a few minutes.


I figured he was blowing smoke. Thanks for confirming.


----------



## Ryan (Aug 22, 2010)

Ozark Southern said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > If this existed it would hold the Blue Riband. The current holder is the SS United States at 34.51 knots in 3 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes set in 1952
> ...


That was eastbound and without passengers, so it doesn't qualify.



Ozark Southern said:


> Ryan said:
> 
> 
> > That's completely impossible. You'd have to run at around 120 knots to do that, and there's no boat that will cross an ocean that can sustain those kinds of speeds. I've been up around 100 knots on the water in a race boat on a lake, and the 3-4 foot chop was enough to pound you senseless after a few minutes.
> ...


No problem - the owner does (or did) race in ocean races that lasted for hours, but the training and stamina needed for something like that (and the fact that you're strapped in for most of the time) leave this impractical for any type of revenue service.


----------



## Guest (Aug 22, 2010)

Ozark Southern said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > If this existed it would hold the Blue Riband. The current holder is the SS United States at 34.51 knots in 3 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes set in 1952
> ...


The Sea Runner was not a Blue Riband holder, but rather held the Hales Trophy which it also does not currently hold either. The current Hales Trophy is the Fjord Cat at 41.3 knots in 2 days, 20 hours, 9 minutes in 1998. The Hales Trophy only requires a one way trip and can be any kind of boat. The Blue Riband is given to ships in passenger service and requires a round trip.


----------



## PRR 60 (Aug 22, 2010)

Guest said:


> If this existed it would hold the Blue Riband. The current holder is the SS United States at 34.51 knots in 3 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes set in 1952


The SS United States is sitting rusting at a pier in South Philadelphia. I see it every time I cross the Walt Whitman Bridge. It is a very sad sight.

SS United States


----------



## amtrakwolverine (Aug 23, 2010)

PRR 60 said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > If this existed it would hold the Blue Riband. The current holder is the SS United States at 34.51 knots in 3 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes set in 1952
> ...


here's a better photo of it from 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ssunited.jpg


----------



## Trogdor (Aug 23, 2010)

I guess one question that is yet unanswered is, when he says "across the Atlantic," what are the start and end points? You could start way up at the Northeastern tip of Canada and finish in Greenland or Iceland or someplace. That would be across the Atlantic.

Or, are we talking about a New York to London type of across the Atlantic?


----------



## Ryan (Aug 23, 2010)

It's based on speed, not time and is only awarded to a ship in passenger service, so any two cities where there is scheduled service would qualify. Given that this mode of transportation is pretty much gone, it's not likely that the SS US will ever give up the award.


----------



## jis (Aug 23, 2010)

Trogdor said:


> I guess one question that is yet unanswered is, when he says "across the Atlantic," what are the start and end points? You could start way up at the Northeastern tip of Canada and finish in Greenland or Iceland or someplace. That would be across the Atlantic.
> 
> Or, are we talking about a New York to London type of across the Atlantic?


Well, it would be New York to Southampton or something like that. London is a little difficult to get to on an ocean-going ship these days. Indeed even in the heyday of passenger shipping the port of call was Southampton or some such, AFAIK never London.


----------



## GG-1 (Aug 23, 2010)

Ozark Southern said:


> A colleague who shares my dislike for airlines was telling me about a catamaran cruise ferry that runs across the Atlantic in something like 24 hours. I know there are luxury ships, but I don't have the kind of money for the Queen Mary. I've done some searching, but the only catamarans I've found are short trips, not transoceanic ones. Does such a ship exist, and if so, how can I book it?


Aloha

Could the friend consider France/England as crossing the Atlantic? I have heard of both Catamarans and Hydrofoils with time like that.


----------



## the_traveler (Aug 23, 2010)

GG-1 said:


> Ozark Southern said:
> 
> 
> > A colleague who shares my dislike for airlines was telling me about a catamaran cruise ferry that runs across the Atlantic in something like 24 hours. I know there are luxury ships, but I don't have the kind of money for the Queen Mary. I've done some searching, but the only catamarans I've found are short trips, not transoceanic ones. Does such a ship exist, and if so, how can I book it?
> ...


That's just what I was going to say. Back before the Chunnel was built, there was a Hydrofoil that ran between Dover and IIRC Calais (sp). (I think it was something like a 1 hour 30 minute run when I rode it.) I don't know if it still operates.


----------



## Ryan (Aug 23, 2010)

The way that you travel Dave, a trip from England to France would involve crossing the Atlantic. At least 3 times!


----------



## the_traveler (Aug 23, 2010)

Hey, I can at least say I was on mainland Europe! While visiting England, I took the hydrofoil across the Channel one day, and the next day (naturally




) took the ferry across the Channel.

I spent about 2 hours (combined) in France - and never left the ports!





So I did cross (part of) the Atlantic 4 times in 2 days!


----------



## Ozark Southern (Aug 25, 2010)

GG-1 said:


> Ozark Southern said:
> 
> 
> > A colleague who shares my dislike for airlines was telling me about a catamaran cruise ferry that runs across the Atlantic in something like 24 hours. I know there are luxury ships, but I don't have the kind of money for the Queen Mary. I've done some searching, but the only catamarans I've found are short trips, not transoceanic ones. Does such a ship exist, and if so, how can I book it?
> ...


No, he specifically stated Halifax to Southampton. As I suspected, completely impossible.



Guest said:


> Ozark Southern said:
> 
> 
> > Guest said:
> ...


I did not know that. I love this forum; you guys really know your stuff.


----------

