Landsailing uses the flat, hard surface of the desert to take sailors where few have gone before. Like a surreal dream, the creatures emerge from the dry desert horizon. They're called landsailers. To some, this is a contradiction of terms. But to the die-hards who ride through the desert dust, when it comes to sailing water, it only slows you down.
Land yachts are some wild contraptions.
There are some specifications for sail size to distinguish racing classes, but that's about as far as uniformity goes. But despite the difficulties in design, all of them look like something out of Mad Max as they skim the land. But take some conventional wisdom, a little computer-aided design, wrap it in composite materials, and stick a sail on it, and you've got a yacht. Two of the most competitive U.S. landsailors are Nord Embroden and Charlie O'Leary. Both have designed and built yachts that are threatening the world speed record of 94.7 miles an hour.