Will Sailboats Still Be Made in 30 Years?

[slegg]

"A hull with built in anti-foul"

That exists already. it's an ultrasonic device mounted on the hull that emits a pulse from time to time, disencouraging any living critter to adhere to it. It has a range of three meters.

[tuffr2]

Looking that far in the future there is a strong possibility that only sailboats will be built. Maybe with no engine just like the old old days.

[Hasbeen]

It's a nice thought tuffr2, it would certainly reduce the congestion in popular cruising grounds. However I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it.

40 years ago I was breeding a few horses, mostly for show jumping. I started getting excited when they were telling us we would run out of oil in about 10 to 15 years. I thought I might actually be able to turn my hobby into a business.

Still waiting.

[hafa]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

...there is a strong possibility that only sailboats will be built...

Originally Posted by Hasbeen

Still waiting.

Economics will be the primary driver, as always. Cost parity is a strong motivator for R&D of all types.

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by Hasbeen

It's a nice thought tuffr2, it would certainly reduce the congestion in popular cruising grounds. However I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it.

40 years ago I was breeding a few horses, mostly for show jumping. I started getting excited when they were telling us we would run out of oil in about 10 to 15 years. I thought I might actually be able to turn my hobby into a business.

Still waiting.

Don't EVER believe people who forecast the future. Meteorologists cannot predict the weather even with modern technology & computers otherwise, the folk in Texas would not be suffering the way they are right now. As for those who are politically involved, they will lie through heir teeth, & then have a long reason of an explanation if it doesn't turn out as they forecast. There is no shortage of oil! As a matter of fact, just the opposite, we're now told there is an over abundance. The oil companies have been playing a game for many years, first telling us oil would run out at a certain date, and then telling us they have found new supplies, eventually saying we have more reserves in N.A. than all the Arabs combined. Why should we believe them? They have such a fine control of the product, they can manipulate the price to suit their agenda.

[hafa]

Beware simple explanations for complex problems, and remember that correlation is not causation.

[Zven]

Originally Posted by Sailorbob8599

Don't EVER believe people who forecast the future... The oil companies have been playing a game for many years, first telling us oil would run out at a certain date, and then telling us they have found new supplies, eventually saying we have more reserves in N.A. than all the Arabs combined. Why should we believe them? ..

Forecasters will forecast for as long as people desire to listen to, read and watch what they say.

There is no such thing as "running out" of a mineral... Prices will just adapt to reflect how hard it is to find and extract more, at any given time. It's always possible to dig deeper or harder. If the work gets tougher overall, prices rise, and demand will slow as alternative options gradually take over.

Oil companies can only comment on the reserves they possess, which they are obliged to declare in most cases. They will normally also have an exploration programme, the outcome of which will be uncertain.

Politicians seem prone to creating drama even where there is none. If someone is claiming the sky is falling, it's probably not a business but a politician.

[softdown]

Originally Posted by Zven

This thread is about looking 30 years ahead ...
While solar and battery technologies are improving really fast now :-)

Lithium is much smaller and lighter and more expensive. So far, it has not significantly changed the math on solar energy to my knowledge. Cheap panels have made an enormous impact of course.

[Rorzech]

All the dramma you hear in the news is developed by the oil company's since all the news outlets are owned by six elites who are in bed with big oil. What a joke . They just drove gasoline in canada up $400.00 / Gal. because of Harvey and it's been sitting in the underground tanks before Harvey was Harvey. Big oil just gave themselves a 700 billion dollar raise just like that and we're supposed to swallow it, and we will. Enjoy the long weekend everybody.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Rorzech

All the dramma you hear in the news is developed by the oil company's since all the news outlets are owned by six elites who are in bed with big oil. What a joke . They just drove gasoline in canada up $400.00 / Gal. because of Harvey and it's been sitting in the underground tanks before Harvey was Harvey. Big oil just gave themselves a 700 billion dollar raise just like that and we're supposed to swallow it, and we will. Enjoy the long weekend everybody.

First off dont you mean $4.00 a gallon not $400.00 a gallon.
Secondly I agree with you to some point. Here its not in such great abundance however there are 5 oil refineries in my back yard and the oil that is refined.comes from alaska not the gulf. So harvey has minimal effect on us but the price did go up significantly here as well. Hope it comes back down before the winter diesel heating season.

[hafa]

Originally Posted by Rorzech

Big oil just gave themselves a 700 billion dollar raise just like that and we're supposed to swallow it, and we will. Enjoy the long weekend everybody.

Isn't that why we own a sailboats, offgrid homes and electric cars? So we don't have to "swallow it"?