ADRIA is about peopleHow did you develop your idea? A lot can happen in ten years.When developing the concept, I strayed from the established developmentguidelines for hydrofoil boats, choosing instead to combine my knowledge ofaeronautics and nautical science to develop a new concept for the hydrofoillayout. Because of its W-shape, I named it the wFoil concept. It is the world’sfirst and only hydrofoil layout of its kind. The wFoil concept improves the previouslyestablished capacities of hydrofoil boats; using the wFoil concept, sailboatsor motorboats will be able to separate from the water surface at a lowerspeed, reach a higher top speed – our goal is to exceed the magical boundaryof 60 knots – and will be much more agile and stable than any previouslymade hydrofoil watercraft. Furthermore, they will be easy to steer, safe and fastto travel with even on rough seas and much more economic: the motorisedAlbatross will use seven times less gas than comparable sport motorboats.flight was excellent. After my people had radioed in with the checklists and theplanned instructions, I remember that I switched off the radio, put on my headphonesand played music that helped me to relax. I sped up and the Albatrossrose up on its water wings. I was not aware of the exact moment when thehull rose up from the water because it all happened so smoothly. The Albatrossgathered speed and cut through waves without the smallest reaction, because itwas actually flying just above them.We built a boat based on the wFoil concept – the prototype known as wFoil18 Albatross. In addition to a unique hydrofoil configuration, the boat is distinguishedby carefully selected materials, an aerodynamic shape, high capacityand attractive design. Our Albatross is the world’s first hydrofoil motorised boataimed at the recreation and private boat market.Using the wFoil concept, we developed a boat that allows users to replicate themagic of low-level flying above the sea, something that I can personally confirmbased on my extensive flying experience (I have over 12,000 flight hours).The boat is very easy and safe to use, eliminating the need for flying lessons inorder to enjoy low-level flying above the water surface.The wFoil 18 Albatross was built based on what I as a pilot imagine to be theperfect watercraft. Thanks to its technical design and modular structure, thereare plenty of opportunities for the wFoil project to be applied in the developmentof sailboats, motorboats and electric power boats of all sizes, as well as inaviation through the development of a wFoil aircraft-watercraft hybrid.What obstacles did you encounter on your path as an innovator? Isthere anything you would have done differently today?Any new, innovative idea is initially seen as crazy. You constantly have toconvince the people around you about the technical performance, applicabilityand marketability of your idea. But gradually, step by step, you begin toacquire supporters. Every success brings with it new people that will follow you.Meanwhile, the people that support you with all their heart and soul are fewand far between, but they are the most important element of your career as aninnovator. The wFoil Group consists of a handful of people brought together bythe wFoil concept. These people – craftsmen and experts in various fields – aredevoted to the project with all their heart, using any spare time they have tocontribute their knowledge and skills. Through our activities, we have shown thatour knowledge and innovativeness can compare to those of top professionalteams, even though we are mere volunteers. Running a high-tech project in Sloveniais anything but easy. Alongside our actual work, we also have to deal witha number of other things that slow down development and consume the energythat we could have used to come up with even better products and solutions.Your Albatross made its inaugural flight in March this year. Lookingback at your achievements and progress today, were you aware ofthe singularity of this milestone at the time?I think I was aware of how important that inaugural flight was. As usual, I keptup my pilot habit of going to prepare control checklists to support the operation.It turned out that our assumptions were correct, and the result of the first seaIts response to making turns exceeded even my own expectations. I would compareit to carving turns skiing; when making a turn, you simply continue alongthe curve with complete control, without the slightest interruption from thewaves. Everything is calm, and you are bursting with adrenaline as you fly lowover the water surface. Yes, that is the best way to describe my general impressionof that first flight.What are your dreams for the future? You and your team have alreadyreceived a number of awards, which must have given your ideasnew momentum.The wFoil project has been met with varying responses, negative as well as positive,but the fact is that we can no longer be ignored. In the last month alone, severalhundred thousand people from the US have visited our website. Every awardis important to us, and they definitely give us fresh energy. We can only imaginewhat will happen next with the wFoil project. Our biggest wish is to find an investorand continue developing products based on the concept. As a devoted flyer,my ultimate goal is to come back to aviation with a hydroplane built using thewFoil concept. A plane of this type would give hydroplanes a new lease on life byeliminating their biggest weakness – taking off and landing on rough seas.But obviously we have to work up to that gradually; we have just entered theluxury recreation boats market with a limited, prototype series of 12 wFoil 18Albatross Zero boats.We are also working on a sailboat version with the goal of reaching recordspeeds powered only by sails. It is for this very purpose that we are starting a nonprofitorganisation to connect people who will share this goal with us. At themoment, we are looking for sponsors and donors who believe in the tagline thatSteve Jobs came up with for the first Apple advertisement that was never actuallypublished: The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world,are the ones who do. Our work has shown that we have plenty of knowledgeand a firm belief in hydrofoil as the future of high-speed water travel.Our version of Jobs’ vision is already operating and flying towards new horizons.24
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