September 7th, 2026
2 min

Behind high-performance sailing: the engineering that makes speed possible

When some of the world’s fastest sailing boats arrive in Valencia, the spectacle takes place on the water. But behind every manoeuvre, every knot of speed and every performance gain lies years of engineering, research and technological development.

On September 4th, the Territorial Delegation of the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos (COIN) in the Valencian Community organised a technical session in Valencia dedicated to the engineering behind high-performance sailing, coinciding with a weekend in which the city became a focal point for international sailing competition.

Representing Caponnetto Hueber, our Co-founder and General Manager Francis Hueber participated alongside Manuel Ruiz de Elvira and Juan Yacht Design, sharing perspectives on how naval architecture, advanced materials and aerodynamics are continuously redefining what is possible on the water.

Drawing on decades of experience in fluid dynamics, CFD, hydrodynamic design and America’s Cup campaigns, Francis brought Caponnetto Hueber’s perspective to the discussion: behind the extraordinary performance of today’s racing yachts lies an increasingly sophisticated integration of simulation, design, data and engineering.

High-performance competition creates an exceptional environment for innovation. When fractions of a second matter, every component and every interaction between air, water and structure becomes an opportunity for improvement. CFD and advanced numerical simulation allow engineers to understand these interactions, evaluate alternatives and optimise designs before they reach the water.

For Caponnetto Hueber, however, the value of this technological development extends far beyond racing. The knowledge generated in demanding competitive environments can be transferred to the wider maritime industry, contributing to vessels with lower resistance, greater efficiency and reduced energy consumption.

This connection between competition and real-world application has been part of our DNA for decades. Racing provides the challenge. Engineering provides the understanding. And technological transfer allows those advances to create value across the maritime sector.

The strong attendance at the session also demonstrated the growing interest in understanding what happens behind the spectacle of high-performance sailing: the engineering, experimentation and continuous pursuit of efficiency that make it possible.

We would like to thank the COIN Territorial Delegation in the Valencian Community for the invitation and for creating a space where naval engineers, designers and industry professionals could exchange knowledge around the technologies shaping the future of sailing.

When some of the world’s fastest sailing boats arrive in Valencia, the spectacle takes place on the water. But behind every manoeuvre, every knot of speed and every performance gain lies years of engineering, research and technological development.

On September 4th, the Territorial Delegation of the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos (COIN) in the Valencian Community organised a technical session in Valencia dedicated to the engineering behind high-performance sailing, coinciding with a weekend in which the city became a focal point for international sailing competition.

Representing Caponnetto Hueber, our Co-founder and General Manager Francis Hueber participated alongside Manuel Ruiz de Elvira and Juan Yacht Design, sharing perspectives on how naval architecture, advanced materials and aerodynamics are continuously redefining what is possible on the water.

Drawing on decades of experience in fluid dynamics, CFD, hydrodynamic design and America’s Cup campaigns, Francis brought Caponnetto Hueber’s perspective to the discussion: behind the extraordinary performance of today’s racing yachts lies an increasingly sophisticated integration of simulation, design, data and engineering.

High-performance competition creates an exceptional environment for innovation. When fractions of a second matter, every component and every interaction between air, water and structure becomes an opportunity for improvement. CFD and advanced numerical simulation allow engineers to understand these interactions, evaluate alternatives and optimise designs before they reach the water.

For Caponnetto Hueber, however, the value of this technological development extends far beyond racing. The knowledge generated in demanding competitive environments can be transferred to the wider maritime industry, contributing to vessels with lower resistance, greater efficiency and reduced energy consumption.

This connection between competition and real-world application has been part of our DNA for decades. Racing provides the challenge. Engineering provides the understanding. And technological transfer allows those advances to create value across the maritime sector.

The strong attendance at the session also demonstrated the growing interest in understanding what happens behind the spectacle of high-performance sailing: the engineering, experimentation and continuous pursuit of efficiency that make it possible.

We would like to thank the COIN Territorial Delegation in the Valencian Community for the invitation and for creating a space where naval engineers, designers and industry professionals could exchange knowledge around the technologies shaping the future of sailing.

When some of the world’s fastest sailing boats arrive in Valencia, the spectacle takes place on the water. But behind every manoeuvre, every knot of speed and every performance gain lies years of engineering, research and technological development.

On September 4th, the Territorial Delegation of the Colegio Oficial de Ingenieros Navales y Oceánicos (COIN) in the Valencian Community organised a technical session in Valencia dedicated to the engineering behind high-performance sailing, coinciding with a weekend in which the city became a focal point for international sailing competition.

Representing Caponnetto Hueber, our Co-founder and General Manager Francis Hueber participated alongside Manuel Ruiz de Elvira and Juan Yacht Design, sharing perspectives on how naval architecture, advanced materials and aerodynamics are continuously redefining what is possible on the water.

Drawing on decades of experience in fluid dynamics, CFD, hydrodynamic design and America’s Cup campaigns, Francis brought Caponnetto Hueber’s perspective to the discussion: behind the extraordinary performance of today’s racing yachts lies an increasingly sophisticated integration of simulation, design, data and engineering.

High-performance competition creates an exceptional environment for innovation. When fractions of a second matter, every component and every interaction between air, water and structure becomes an opportunity for improvement. CFD and advanced numerical simulation allow engineers to understand these interactions, evaluate alternatives and optimise designs before they reach the water.

For Caponnetto Hueber, however, the value of this technological development extends far beyond racing. The knowledge generated in demanding competitive environments can be transferred to the wider maritime industry, contributing to vessels with lower resistance, greater efficiency and reduced energy consumption.

This connection between competition and real-world application has been part of our DNA for decades. Racing provides the challenge. Engineering provides the understanding. And technological transfer allows those advances to create value across the maritime sector.

The strong attendance at the session also demonstrated the growing interest in understanding what happens behind the spectacle of high-performance sailing: the engineering, experimentation and continuous pursuit of efficiency that make it possible.

We would like to thank the COIN Territorial Delegation in the Valencian Community for the invitation and for creating a space where naval engineers, designers and industry professionals could exchange knowledge around the technologies shaping the future of sailing.