Is This the Future for Zero Carbon Footprint Cruising

[David M]

There is a huge difference between getting paid haul as much stuff as is possible across as quickly as possible across the oceans per year, and not being paid to haul very little at a leisurely pace on nobody's time schedule.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by hummingway

A spinnaker is a considerably different animal then that. Someone mentioned fighting kites and I can see how it could be done with a something along that line.

Not that different, it is still essentially a slab of cloth that holds air controlled by 3 ropes.


Below is a picture from previously linked sites showing 3 lines* like a traditional spinnaker and two controlling lines like a "fighting" kite
*I coloured the sheets for clarity



Some of the first ones tried were I believe 2 symetrical kites joined along the foot, join clearly seen down centerline.
I doubt this example is, but you can see how it "could" be fashioned in this way.




Skipper hopes mighty kite will put the wind up bigger rivals - Sport - www.smh.com.au

[Hudson Force]

New sail plans are interesting, but not new technology. The photo-shopped conjectures of power vessels pulled by free form sails without standing rigging are meaningless without real world application. It's a great idea, but only exciting when we see it happening.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

The photo-shopped conjectures of power vessels pulled by free form sails without standing rigging are meaningless without real world application. It's a great idea, but only exciting when we see it happening.

If you followed the links I provided for the Kit cat you would see they were not photoshopped at all (image one in above post)

They even had 30 seconds of video showing it in action with no mast

Heres the link again in case you missed it
http://web.archive.org/web/200412040.../kite_sail.htm

[hummingway]

I was basing it on the first shot which is more like what I've seen used on large vessels. The models in the other photos look more manageable.

[SunDevil]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Solar and storage solutions are improving rapidly and I think we'll see more craft using it every year.

That is the only way I would want to go.

And I would like to see boat designs and improved stability at high speeds of the Hydropteretype of boat to make electric propulsion more attractive. You might have to have an air mattress and do a bunch of other stuff to save weight onboard, and you might need to add air pockets to the foils to help elevate the boat in lighter winds.

As for the kites, I would like to see them use H2O electrolysis to fill Hydrogen pockets to lift the kite.

But, I would still want the normal sails too probably.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

That is the only way I would want to go.

And I would like to see boat designs and improved stability at high speeds of the Hydropteretype of boat to make electric propulsion more attractive. You might have to have an air mattress and do a bunch of other stuff to save weight onboard, and you might need to add air pockets to the foils to help elevate the boat in lighter winds.

As for the kites, I would like to see them use H2O electrolysis to fill Hydrogen pockets to lift the kite.

But, I would still want the normal sails too probably.

The kite boarders in the Seattle area have floatation pockets so they can relaunch while out on the water.


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[deckofficer]

Since I'm the op, I'll steer this thread into another direction, outboard diesels. We used to use the 36 hp Yanmar outboard diesel on a rescue craft for the oil drilling rig, it was heavy and gutless, but would only sip fuel. They are no longer made. Not turbo'ed, so when was someone going to come up with a efficient diesel outboard that used EFI, common rail, turbo with a lot of boost and intercooled to cool that compressed intake charge down for increased density? This company has 3 years of development, now we have a 2.3 L turbo intercooled at 200 hp and a 3.0 L @ 300 hp clamp-ons.

Maritime Engineering Group, Inc - Retro-Fit Vision 2.3 L Specifications

[cat man do]

A video compilation of earlier mastless traction kite powercatamaran

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD6XM...ature=youtu.be

[David_Old_Jersey]

A kite would make a good emergency sail (if mast came down) - and something that could be practiced with in advance.

[Teeto]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Fossil fuels= PITA to get, then pay for and pollute
Wind= not good everyday, and replacing sails are costly

And now our German neighbors have combined two pollution free elements with the minimum wetted surface of a cat, sail power at 25 times the power per given square meter of sail, sustainable electric power, well check it out and comment.....................

Solar boats and ships - electric vessels developed in Germany | Zero-Emission-Yacht

I assume the OP is actually referring to carbon dioxide footprint.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

..............As for the kites, I would like to see them use H2O electrolysis to fill Hydrogen pockets to lift the kite................

Here's a third no carbon footprint to add to the mix. I like SunDevils' idea, but as long as you're making hydrogen for lift, you also have it as a fuel.

[jacob30]

A friend of mine was recently demasted and lost his auxiliary off of Bermuda. He had to abandon his newly aquired Pacific Seacraft at sea.

I carry a large kite aboard for kiteboarding but have always thought it could provide headway to either a dinghy or maybe even a Dead in the water sailboat with the right winds.

The fact that commercial ships are using it shows it has merit and will soon be more common on recreational craft.

Originally Posted by mbianka

Could be good for long distance cruising with the right winds and/or as a backup in case one gets demasted enroute.