An undetectable danger for turtles ?
While foils are revolutionizing water sports, the Vilebrequin Foundation is partnering with the Port-Cros National Park and world champion Flora Artzner for a groundbreaking study. The goal: to measure the detectability of these crafts to understand if they can be perceived by turtles and cetaceans. A scientific first.
The whistle of the foil: an undetectable threat to turtles ?
In the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean, a technological revolution is underway: the widespread use of foils on large (silent) sailing vessels traveling at very high speeds offshore. These crafts, which seem to levitate above the waves thanks to a submerged wing (the foil), are winning over more watersports enthusiasts every day. But does their silence represent an invisible danger for cetaceans and sea turtles ?
For the Vilebrequin Foundation, innovation must go hand in hand with ecosystem preservation. This is why we are contributing to a world first with the Port-Cros National Park within the Pelagos Sanctuary: a study of the acoustic signature of foils.
For the Vilebrequin Foundation, innovation must go hand in hand with ecosystem preservation. This is why we are contributing to a world first with the Port-Cros National Park within the Pelagos Sanctuary: a study of the acoustic signature of foils.
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The challenge: hearing the inaudible.
Imagine being a Loggerhead turtle swimming near the surface. You rely on your hearing to detect danger. While foils are incredibly fast, they are also extremely sharp. The problem? As of today, no one knows if the whistling sound of a foil produces a frequency that turtles or cetaceans can identify in time to move out of harm's way.
Imagine being a Loggerhead turtle swimming near the surface. You rely on your hearing to detect danger. While foils are incredibly fast, they are also extremely sharp. The problem? As of today, no one knows if the whistling sound of a foil produces a frequency that turtles or cetaceans can identify in time to move out of harm's way.
A champion and scientists in the field
To solve this mystery, we gathered an extraordinary team on Almanarre Beach in Hyères:
- Cutting-edge science: Professor Hervé Glotin and experts from the CIAN laboratory (University of Toulon) have deployed ultra-sensitive hydrophones, capable of measuring sounds with one-billionth precision.
- Sporting instinct: Flora Artzner, wingfoil world champion, put her talent at the service of biodiversity by performing precision-perfect test runs over the sensors.
Anticipating for Better Coexistence
Why wingfoiling ? Because once the board is out of the water, there is no longer any engine noise or hull slapping against the waves. Only the foil can be heard. This provides the perfect condition to isolate this unique sound and understand how it is perceived by marine life.
- Cutting-edge science: Professor Hervé Glotin and experts from the CIAN laboratory (University of Toulon) have deployed ultra-sensitive hydrophones, capable of measuring sounds with one-billionth precision.
- Sporting instinct: Flora Artzner, wingfoil world champion, put her talent at the service of biodiversity by performing precision-perfect test runs over the sensors.
Anticipating for Better Coexistence
Why wingfoiling ? Because once the board is out of the water, there is no longer any engine noise or hull slapping against the waves. Only the foil can be heard. This provides the perfect condition to isolate this unique sound and understand how it is perceived by marine life.
Two scenarios lie ahead:
1. If the foil is silent to animals: We will then need to redouble our efforts to raise user awareness and create enhanced protection zones.
2. If it is detectable: We could envision new regulations, such as speed limits in sensitive areas, to give animals enough time to move away.
Results
The results show that wingfoil foils do indeed emit underwater noise, especially at frequencies around 1 kHz. This noise remains very low compared to the sounds generated by boats, sonar, or marine construction work. In all cases, the noise level is far too low to cause hearing damage in marine animals.
Dolphins and whales can hear the foil from a moderate distance. However, adult sea turtles cannot hear these sounds; very young turtles might be able to perceive them.
Areas for further action
These data can now guide future action steps, including the regulation of recreational activities and competitions in high-density sea turtle areas, raising awareness among riders about collision risks, and enhancing foil visibility through visual signaling to trigger the turtles' avoidance reflex.
The Foundation’s manifesto in action
At the Vilebrequin Foundation, we believe that protection is born from knowledge. By connecting experts from the Mediterranean with those from around the world, we are taking action to ensure that the passion for watersports always goes hand in hand with a deep respect for our oceans.
2. If it is detectable: We could envision new regulations, such as speed limits in sensitive areas, to give animals enough time to move away.
Results
The results show that wingfoil foils do indeed emit underwater noise, especially at frequencies around 1 kHz. This noise remains very low compared to the sounds generated by boats, sonar, or marine construction work. In all cases, the noise level is far too low to cause hearing damage in marine animals.
Dolphins and whales can hear the foil from a moderate distance. However, adult sea turtles cannot hear these sounds; very young turtles might be able to perceive them.
Areas for further action
These data can now guide future action steps, including the regulation of recreational activities and competitions in high-density sea turtle areas, raising awareness among riders about collision risks, and enhancing foil visibility through visual signaling to trigger the turtles' avoidance reflex.
The Foundation’s manifesto in action
At the Vilebrequin Foundation, we believe that protection is born from knowledge. By connecting experts from the Mediterranean with those from around the world, we are taking action to ensure that the passion for watersports always goes hand in hand with a deep respect for our oceans.
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