International Women’s Day: Spotlight on Hattie Rogers
On International Women’s Day, Windship Technology is proud to put the spotlight on Hattie Rogers.
From a very young age, Hattie started sailing on Contessa yachts built by her grandfather and went on to study Ship Science and Engineering at the University of Southampton, where she graduated with a first in her Masters, last summer. Hattie is the daughter of Simon Rogers, our Technical Director, and has worked behind the scenes with Windship Technology during her degree and beyond.
Hattie said, “It fills me with pride to be a young woman and trail blazing a new pathway in professional sailing for women and youth, as well as being a recently qualified Engineer. It is great that both industries are now fully embracing women.”
Hattie was involved in the Windship Technology testing (pictured) that was completed at the RJ Mitchell Wind Tunnel at the University of Southampton, during her degree. Hattie set up the model, conducted the testing and collected data. The testing involved looking at the predictions from the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis by Cape Horn Engineering, and DNV (who have given Windship Technology an AIP), testing a series of attack angles and flap angles at 20m/s, smoke visualisation at 3m/s and UV light testing tell-tales.
Hattie is fascinated by engineering principles and their applications, particularly in the fields of sustainability and decarbonisation of shipping and optimisation of sailing performance. Combine this with her love of water and the Ship Science Degree proved the ideal choice.
Hattie said, “Windship Technology has the solution to eliminate CO2 emissions from commercial shipping. If the shipping industry remains unchanged, it is predicted that it will rise from the current figure of 3% to 10% of global CO2emissions by 2050 – when I will be 50. There is no doubt that this demonstrates that the Windship Technology project will significantly help to combat climate change for my generation and beyond.”
A spokesperson on behalf of the Windship Technology Board said, “We are so proud of Hattie and all she has achieved. One of the reasons we care so passionately about Windship Technology is that we believe our solution for the shipping industry will help fight climate change which will have a direct positive effect on the future of our families and yours.”
Described as “the face of the foiling generation” by esteemed sailing journalist Magnus Wheatley, Hattie won the SailGP WASZP INSPIRE Grand Final in San Francisco last year and is an integral part of the Athena Pathway Programme* in the ETF26 Series**. This programme is led by the World’s most decorated Olympic sailors – Hannah Mills and Sir Ben Ainslie and seeks to select the British Youth and Women’s America’s Cup teams for Barcelona 2024. Hattie is targeting both teams as one of the two helms.
In February 2023, Hattie (22) became the youngest recipient of the prestigious YJA Yachtsman of the Year. The accolade, considered the most prestigious in British boating, was presented at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show. Previous winners include Sir Ben Ainslie, Dee Caffari, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Dame Ellen MacArthur. Hattie said the award was particularly special because it was previously won by her grandfather Jeremy Rogers in 1974, who sadly passed away in 2022.
Hattie has been sailing full-time since graduating in 2022 and is currently winter training in Palma. She said: “My main focus now is securing a helming position for the British Youth and Women’s America’s Cup teams for 2024 in Barcelona.”
We wish Hattie every success and the Windship Technology Board are proud to be part of her journey.
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* The Athena Pathway, led by Hannah Mills, is a new pathway for female and youth athletes fast-tracking development in professional sailing, on and off the water, including into the America’s Cup and SailGP. The Pathway is founded with the pillars of ‘People, Planet and Purpose’ to encourage athletes to use their voice in the fight against climate change.
** The ETF26 foiling catamaran was born in 2017, designed by Guillaume Verdier, the naval architect who designed the winning boat Emirates Team New Zealand for the 34th edition of the America’s Cup, as well as Jean-Pierre Dick, four times winner of the Jacques Vabre Race. The ETF26 is aimed for high-speed races, being able to reach 2.5 times the wind’s speed, as well as adapt to different weather conditions, being able to foil between 8 – 20 knots. The boat weighs just 350 kilograms, and requires three to four sailors on-board. All boats raced in the league are one-design, with a fully carbon mast, and carbon-epoxy S-foils.
