This Giant Boat Is Powered Entirely By Solar Energy

submitted by magnora7 from youtube.com

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[–][deleted] 7 insightful - 3 fun7 insightful - 2 fun8 insightful - 3 fun -  (5 children)

People should try make boats driven by wind energy! ;)

[–]magnora7[S] 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Yeah I'm wondering if they put a sail on it, I bet the combined efficiency would be great

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Fundamental flaw: How would they monetize the wind?

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

How fast do you need your shipment delivered?

Ferry people from here to there?

Start a slave trade on a distant continent and ship them there?

Eco-friendly shark fin harvesting?

Lots of options by sea and by wind.

[–]JasonCarswell 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

A sail would add pros and cons but also throw a lot of shade, even if you had clever rigging.

IMO, the best option would be to add a turbosail like the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyone_(ship) for minimal shade and maximum efficiency

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

That's crazy.

We'd see it everywhere if it actually worked.. ;-)

[–]Tom_Bombadil 5 insightful - 3 fun5 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

That's awesome!

Does it come with an optional sail?

Will it be faster than a sail boat?

;-)

[–]JasonCarswell 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Add a turbosail like the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyone_(ship) and Bob's Your Uncle!

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 4 fun2 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

The slogan:

Solar powered boats. Travel by day. Travel backwards by night.

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You don't think they have batteries?

[–]Tom_Bombadil 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It's inefficient to charge batteries, and they are heavy AF.

[–]JasonCarswell 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

Brilliant!

It reminds me of the proposed BC Ferry designs from a dozen years ago, though it looks like their catamaran design serves a different purpose than it would for a ferry hydrofoil.

Fave video this month!

[–]AnarchySpeach 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Shadow from a sail might block light for half the solar panels.

That being said, on a cloudy day having the optional sail would be useful.

It's surprising there's no efficient solar-fabric sail for boats yet.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

There's also the other 50% of the time. When it's dark.

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Because batteries don't exist?

Every single motor boat out there over 20 ft has at least 2 batteries already.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

For the motor and auxillary supply.

No boat over 20 ft runs on batteries.

I don't actually know this is true, but I wouldn't want to be near one if it sank.

[–]JasonCarswell 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Sails require specific trimming for efficiency - but it might be possible. Sails are also hella expensive already - and they're heavier than they look. If you had a the time and money I suppose you could embed panels in a sail that would fold up like origami - but you wouldn't really be able to move it and/or hoist it without some serious refitting. There are ways to sail certain directions to maximize wind propulsion. Adding sunlight to the mix would be possible, but complicates things and neither would be efficient except on occasion.

IMO, it would make more sense to have a little onboard diesel generator for back up power even though I dislike stink boats (motor boats) and prefer rag boats (sail boats).