1:56PM // OCT 14, 2026
EXPLAINED: How a 'Pepper Grinder' keeps the U.S. SailGP Team F50 flying
Ever wondered what tools Hans Henken uses to fly the F50?
How do you keep a 50-foot catamaran flying above the water at more than 50 knots? On the U.S. SailGP Team’s F50, part of the answer is a control the athletes call the 'Pepper Grinder'.
Flight controller Hans Henken takes us inside the F50 cockpit to explain how he flies the boat: what the pepper grinder does, how it works alongside other instruments, and how small adjustments keep the hulls out of the water through every bearaway, tack and gybe.
This is a detailed look at one of the most demanding jobs in sailing, and the technology and technique behind foiling at the highest level.
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