Our Services

Electronic solutions for racing sailboats

Foiling Control Automation

Flying over the water

 

 

Since the America’s Cup boats started foiling, it was pretty clear that using an autopilot could have helped to accelerate the learning process of the boat’s handling. Thanks to the collaboration started in 2014 with 4DC Tech, company specialized in the design of automatic flight control systems, we have developed the automatic controls of various America’s Cup boats, including the Luna Rossa’s AC45s and AC75 and the Groupama’s AC50 .

FaRo FCA (Foiling Control Automation) integrates the functions of FaRo and the PLC in a single system, combining the high computing capabilities of FaRo with the control speed and accuracy of the PLC side. The result is an effective, stable and parameterizable control system for any type of foiling boats.

Just check how our FlyinNikka is foiling across waves!

Outside the Sailing world, we have produced autopilots for foiling motor boats, like the Bluegame’s HSVs for American Magic and Orient Express Team France, the prototypes Kormaran (Austria), Seabubbles (France), MobyFly (Switzerland) and FururE (Italy).

Foiling is fun and we help to make it easy!

PLC

Exploiting FaRo’s power

 

Since the 2010 edition, the America’s Cup has introduced boats more and more complex, where electronic and hydraulic systems became an essential part of the overall design process. Exploiting the innate characteristics of the Beckhoff processors, we started developing the control software for the hydraulic driven parts of the boats (PLC).

We thus developed the automation of numerous America’s Cup boats, such as Luna Rossa’s AC72 (2013), two Luna Rossa’s AC45 (2015), Groupama’s and Emirates Team New Zealand’s AC50 (2017), and the more recent Luna Rossa’s AC75 (2021), as well as some smaller training boats.

Besides the projects related to the America’s Cup, in 2014 we started the collaboration with Cariboni srl, company leader in marine hydraulic systems, developing the control systems for numerous sailboats, including (but not limited to)

  • Kauris IV (Wally 144)
  • Skorpio (Nautor CS 125)
  • Capricorno
  • Flying Nikka
  • Magic Carpet 3 and Magic Carpet 4
  • MySong (Nautor CS 80)
  • Vismara Nacira 69
  • Jolt, Bellamente, Momo, Proteus (Maxi 72)
  • ICE 70
  • Black Pearl (Botin 56)
  • 5x Melges 40

Furthermore, we developed the automation for Hydrogen Support Vessels (Luna Rossa, American Magic, Team France) and for the foiling prootypes Kormaran (Austria), Seabubbles (France), MobyFly (Switzerland) and FuturE (Italy)

Fibre Optics

Checking loads and deformations

 

We couldn’t claim we are able to manage any kind of instruments if weren’t including Fibre Optics. Over the last 15 years, Fibre Optics have become more common in sailing environment for monitoring loads and measuring deformations. We started integrating the most popular FO interrogators in FaRo, but soon we learned how to design the specifications for a particular component, how to manage the fibres and how to install them.

 

Today we have full competence in managing a whole Fibre Optics project, from the preliminary design to the installation, from data collection to data analysis. Aks us for more information or for a quote