Wind-powered yacht aims for record speed attempt

LONDON, England (CNN) -- French trimaran l'Hydroptère is set to become the fastest wind-propelled boat ever after it reached a staggering 52.68 knots -- almost 60 mph -- in training for a world record attempt this month.

Although it was the first time a sailing boat has broken the wind barrier of 50 knots (about 93 kilometers per hour), l'Hydroptère needs to maintain an average speed of 51 knots over 500 meters to claim the new world "absolute sailing speed record."

Skipper of l'Hydroptère, Alain Thébault, told CNN he would likely challenge for the official record in the "next few weeks," depending on weather conditions.

Ideal conditions were winds of between 25-30 knots with small-to-medium-sized swells, he said.

The current absolute sailing speed record over 500m is held by American kite surfer Robert Douglas, who achieved 49.84 knots earlier this year.

Nine of the previous ten records have been set by kite surfers or wind surfers, so to have a large trimaran challenging for the crown was quite an achievement, Thébault said.

He planned to challenge for the record off Napoleon Beach, which sits to the west of Marseille in southern France.

The attempt will be presided over and measured by a representative from the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

Thébault said several subtle design changes have been made to the boat this year and he's confident the crew can produce the record speed when they make the challenge.

"I think the boat is ready now. I have always dreamed about a flying yacht. It was a big emotion for all of the crew and myself when we passed 50 knots," he said.

And Thébault is the first to admit it has not been an easy job getting a boat to go this fast.

"For twenty years I have dreamed about this boat. It has been a long process," he told CNN.

He credited his childhood with inspiring to him to follow a dream of creating a boat that can "fly."

L'Hydroptère beat two world speed records ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council in April 2007, and remains the fastest sailing craft over one nautical mile.