The man on a quest to build the world’s fastest monohull sailboat will make a presentation at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club today.

For nearly 40 years Brian Hancock has made a living from sailing, logging more than a quarter of a million miles offshore along the way.

He has participated in three Whitbread Round the World Races and was the co-founder of the Portimao Global Ocean Race, a double-handed race around the world for Class 40’s.

Hancock, who grew up in Africa, is also the co-founder of SpeedDream, a quest to build the world’s fastest monohull.

“I am currently working with my good friend Vlad Murnikov,” Hancock said. “We have a project called SpeedDream - a quest for the world’s fastest sailboat. It started, like many of these things do, as a sketch on the back of a napkin.

“Now three years later we have investors, a sponsor and a working prototype. Next step will be a larger offshore prototype and then a 100-foot record setter.”

By throwing away the rulebook and applying innovative thinking to the way boats sail, SpeedDream is changing the rules when it comes to fast sailboats.

With it’s wave-piercing bow, flying keel, athwartship step and a slender, low resistance hull, the SpeedDream27 prototype has reached speeds in the high 20 knot range in just 15 knots of wind.

Today’s presentation at RHADC, which is open to the general public, will look at where SpeedDream goes from here and will also look at other high speed projects including Hydroptere, Sail Rocket and how a Gunboat G4 can fly on foils.

“With all the interest in sailing the America’s Cup is generating, I think a lot of people would appreciate hearing from Brian about fast monohulls, which are a bit more comparable to what most Bermudian sailors have experience with,” Roger Beach, commodore of the Bermuda Offshore Cruising Assoiation, said.

As well as logging miles at sea, Hanock has indulged in public speaking, lecturing audiences all around the globe.

“In the past two decades I have spoken to hundreds of groups around the world from small yacht clubs in northern Canada, to a large outdoor crowd of 3,500 people in New Zealand,” Hancock said.

“Telling stories and illustrating them with stunning images and video is my way of sharing the joy and fulfillment I have experienced as an adult.”

Today’s presentation will commence at 7pm and will be preceded by a dinner buffet.

For reservations call 236-2250.