Green light, go: Porsche Taycan vs sailboat

The all-electric Taycan takes on the high-tech Beneteau Figaro 3 sail boat, in a run from Mumbai to Mandwa. Shapur Kotwal puts his money on the Porsche. Renuka Kirpalani thinks the boat will win.

Published On Apr 03, 2022 08:00:00 AM

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Green light, go: Porsche Taycan vs sailboat

The Figaro 3 is a 10-metre-long high tech sailboat built for offshore racing.

In places, it was possible to use all the grip and pace of the Porsche Taycan.

Feels like I’ve been here before. And I have. I get the same butterflies in my stomach, the same trepidation about getting stuck in traffic, and even my opponent is the same – India’s very own World Champion sailor, Shakeel Kudrolli. What makes the déjà vu feel even stronger is that we are starting off at the same time, from around the same place and will even ‘finish’ in roughly the same area.

What’s different is that the last time around, back in 2015, I was behind the wheel of the considerably slower 26hp (no mistake) Mahindra’s E2O. In fact, even placing the 326hp Porsche Taycan and the E2O in the same bracket isn’t fair, EVs have evolved so much in the span of only seven years; it’s like comparing early man to Homo sapiens. Also, the boat I’m up against this time around is quicker too. The first ‘foiler’ in the country that uses underwater ‘wings’ to lift the boat up in the water and reduce drag, the Beneteau Figaro 3 is a sailboat designed for offshore racing.

Early morning traffic setting off from Colaba in south Mumbai.

The plan, as far as the race goes, is simple. Both the car and the boat will set off from Apollo Bunder near the Taj in Colaba, Mumbai and meet up across the harbour at the M2M jetty in Mandwa. While the Porsche will have to drive all the way around and follow a 118-km-long ‘C’-shaped route, the boat can cut straight across. On the face of it, the boat has an advantage. All it has to do is use the favourable morning winds and sail straight out, a distance of around 20km. This is a bit disconcerting for me. There’s the unpredictable traffic to contend with at Vashi, and then the village roads in Mandwa will be just hell.

To even things up and give the car a bit of an advantage, I’ve deployed a secret weapon: Renuka. I’m hoping her shooting on the boat will distract them from making the best possible speed. I can imagine her nattering away on the boat, asking a million questions, telling them about her own sailing experiences; and that could be just the window the Porsche needs to do its magic.

Finally on the Figaro.

What I’m also hoping our little adventure will do is bring about a degree of awareness when it comes to the real pursuit of real green tech. While electric cars are a good first step in cleaning up automotive pollution, it is only a first step in a long, long journey. This has to include green sources of energy like solar, water and wind, and then there’s the energy efficient production of battery cells, another equally large problem.

So how did it go? Well, as always, there are always three sides to every story.

Blown away - Renuka’s ride

7:30 AM: Soon after shaking hands, we walk down to a motorised launch that takes us to the sailboat. Can’t wait to learn about this boat, it’s been designed for offshore racing and comes loaded with tech.

The Figaro 3 can incredibly do a good 11 knots in a 13-14 Knot breeze and as we put-put out in the launch, the wind picks up. Things are looking good.

Lat-pulldowns to hoist the sail, Renuka gets a workout.

7:50 AM: Since we will soon be on our way, I call Shapur, who I’m sure is heavy footing it, trying to build a lead. When we connect, I can’t quite believe what he has to say. In fact, it sounds so ludicrous, I’m sure he’s pulling my leg. Then I glance at my watch. Oh shoot. “Shapur will soon exit the freeway,” I holler into the wind... which brings a sense of urgency.

8:17 AM: All the hard work and experienced hands on board seem to have helped; we are now pointing into the wind, and seriously ‘motoring’. I crank the round handle and get the jib, or the sail at the front up, and then Shakeel explains how we use the tell-tail tufts of string on the sail to understand how the air is flowing over it. Fascinating.

High-tech racing boat, even has ADAS, sort off.

8:23 AM: While I expect us to sail straight across to Mandwa, we initially sail due south, along the length of Mumbai, towards the Prongs lighthouse, and then turn left to the landmass of India. The total distance must be less than 20 kilometres in all, and as we tack or change direction we get even more of a boost from the wind... wow, this boat is fast.

9:00 AM: As we continue to pile on speed, our mood lifts. The Figaro 3 is doing a good 6.05 Knots (11.2kph) and that’s great as we are sailing against the tide. Wonder where Shapur is?

A quick call tells us we are overhauling him. While we have approximately an hour to go, Google Maps is telling Shapur he is out by an hour and 20. He’s hit traffic. Our prayers have been answered.

Foils on Figaro help reduce drag, make it more stable in the water..

9:10 AM: These foils also seem to be helping. Now ordinarily, foils are basically underwater wings that lift the boat out of the water to reduce drag and increase speed. Using differential pressure (between the bottom and the top), they create lift, the flat bottom allowing for higher pressure as against the more rounded top profile. The Figaro’s foils, however, are inward-facing so they don’t lift the boat fully. What they do is help reduce unnecessary movement that wastes energy. And this allows the boat to use more of the ‘horsepower’ made by the sails.

9:18 AM: As we motor along well in the lead, the captain serves tea and sandwiches. The boat is now running on autopilot. No seriously, this is like ADAS plus. An essential part of long distance sailing, the boat not only maintains position and sails ‘close to the wind’, it even uses drift compensation, makes allowances for tides and uses GPS waypoints. “We will need one or two tacks before we get to Mandwa,” announces Shakeel. “The wind is shifting, so we need to go further south and then come back.” No one seems unduly worried.

As Renuka, Shakeel , Ravi and Zia make it to the M2M jetty in Mandwa, the Porsche is there already.

9:32 AM: Land Ho! We can see the silhouette of Mandwa looming in the distance, and we pass the big red M2M Ferry. Time to call Shapur again, gloat. “Where are you? We can see Mandwa. We think we have you beat.” But his answer delivers a body blow. “You are ONLY 25 mins out! What have you been doing, flying? We’ll take around 30 mins.” Then, another stroke of luck: as we speak, Shapur gets stopped at a level crossing. And it’s a long goods train. He will take longer. “Game on Shapur, game on!”

10:09 AM: Despite some hard sailing, we see a blue dot on the jetty as we round the breakwater at Mandwa. Shapur’s already here. Oh no. Don’t think I’m going to ever hear the end of this. I can see him grinning like an ape from here. Can we just turn around? Please. PLEASE!!

It's a Porsche - Shapur’s drive

7:34 AM: We take a bit to get started. But finally it’s go, go, go, and to maximise our lead, I select Sport... I want to squeeze every last electron from the battery on the freeway, use all the power. Getting there isn’t easy going though. I’m swamped by a gaggle of Indian Navy staffers riding to work, and they all slow down and stare at the Taycan. Maybe Shakeel had his seafaring friends help out.

120-odd km later, we had 165km of range left, blame the hard driving.

8:05 AM: Finally, the freeway; while I stay within the speed limit, I also max all the corners. Renuka calls as we are halfway through. She hasn’t started yet; mission accomplished! And bonus, she sounds upset. Haha. Then, the traffic gets even lighter. Wow, this Porsche is good.

8:18 AM: Once off the freeway, the traffic only builds. Trucks, buses, private taxis, Innovas cruising along in formation. Don’t you hate it when that happens. I use the horn. Probably a bit too much. But what do you expect if you hold up traffic? Then comes the long line for the Vashi toll. ARRRGHH. Time made equals time lost.

8:27 AM: I’m tempted to take the expressway for a bit. It will help make up time. But Google Baba says no, hook right, and right it is, under the expressway and onto the newly cemented Panvel bypass. Have to say, I’m really impressed with just how well the Taycan is riding. This is a very sporty sedan and, truth be told, it shouldn’t ride this well.

Freeway allows Taycan to stretch its legs.

9:00 AM: As we pass Karnala Bird Sanctuary to the left, I can feel we are getting closer and closer. Renuka calls again. I tell her we are an hour and 20 minutes out. She sounds delighted; the sailors on the boat say it will take them only around half the time. It’s all over then I guess. That boat must be fast.

9:01 AM: Exactly a minute after we speak, traffic thins and the road opens to an elevated four-lane highway. I go straight to Sport Plus and send all 326hp to the rear wheels, the Porsche clawing back time again. I’m not sure how much we are gaining, and whether it is quite enough, but I keep my foot down nonetheless. The elevated road disappears in a blur of entry, apex and exit, and our pace is so good, whatever speed the boat is doing, I’m sure I’ve made some time. And wow, the rear drive bias of the Taycan feels great as I exit corners.

Speedbreakers slow the Porsche down, but luckily we can use lift feature on the air suspension.

9:14 AM: Have to throw out the anchor again when we come up on broken roads near the JSW coke plant. It’s like a war-zone here and I even have to raise the air springs for some really bad sections. Things are looking bleak again. And to compound things, up ahead is an even slower section, the Alibaug stretch, where bikers do 30, rickshaw 25, and cyclists inebriated from the night before wander from verge to verge in search of Elysium. Add the seven million speed breakers into the mix and you get a fair picture of why making time here will be very, very difficult.

9:16 AM: As I enter Thal Road and the “tunnel of green”, fully expecting to be trundling along at 25kph, I run into another bit of luck. The place is still asleep. Traffic? What traffic? There’s hardly anyone around, just me and the speed breakers. I set the Porsche in Sport, where the suspension is stiffer, place the ride height in medium and just gun it. The Porsche’s steering is millimetre-precise around corners, the Taycan skips over small-sized speed breakers better than any midsize SUV, and then, when I plant my right foot, the instant surge of torque brings us back up to speed almost instantly.

When did you get here? We thought we had you beat.

9:34 AM: Renuka calls again as we turn right onto the final stretch. “We can see Mandwa and will be there in 30 minutes.” I counter, “I’m about 20 minutes out,” around the time Google says I should take to do the nine kilometres. What I don’t tell Renuka is that I’ve done the last 20-minute stretch in 10! Even a two-minute stop at a level crossing doesn’t really slow us down.

9:55 AM: As we roll onto the M2M jetty in Mandwa, I’m elated to see no sign of the boat. Thank god. At least I won’t get ribbed as being the nut who lost to a sailboat... in a Porsche! But what a boat the Figaro 3 is. And I can’t quite believe it did the distance on wind power alone. While the car has enough range to make it all the way back to Mumbai, I go back on the M2M ferry. We’ll be in Mumbai in less than 50 minutes, and not even the fastest Porsche can beat that.

We take the M2M car ferry back to Mumbai; it will take approximately 50 minutes.

A big thank you to team Aquasail and Ravi Mariwala for making this happen. Visit aquasailindia.com to learn or experience sailing in Mumbai and Goa.

Porsche Taycan factfile
Price	Rs 1.50 crore (ex-showroom, India)
Length/Width/Height	4963/2144/1395mm
Wheelbase	2900mm
Battery	79.2kWh
Power	408hp (overboost)
Weight	2050kg
Gearbox	2-speed

Beneteau Figaro 3 factfile
Price	Rs 3.05 crore (approximate)
L/B/H	10.9/3.5/15.2m
Main sail	40.9m2
Gennaker	59.2m2
Hull	Polyester sandwich, PVC foam
Foils	2 Ind. Ret. Carbon Epoxy
Diesel engine	1123cc, 21hp