Solid concept, or good laugh?

[valhalla360]

Looks like someone who's never been on a boat got some rendering software and this is what they came up with.

I like the 3 little posts on each corner supporting the hulls.
Also, the Aerolite sailing rig will kill the solar output and leave a giant post thru the center of the cabin.

[indimini]

Watching their video reminded me of my undergraduate days in Aero engineering where we were given a team design project. I see a fair amount of wishful thinking in this concept and more importantly the optimistic assumptions of how, once built, they will gain significant market share in the catamaran market. I would love to see the finite element analysis of the stilted hulls - I just don't see those holding up for the long term.

[David M]

It all depends on how fast and how far is good enough. The specs are pretty skimpy when you compare to a sailing catamaran or a powered catamaran.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by indimini

Watching their video reminded me of my undergraduate days in Aero engineering where we were given a team design project. I see a fair amount of wishful thinking in this concept and more importantly the optimistic assumptions of how, once built, they will gain significant market share in the catamaran market. I would love to see the finite element analysis of the stilted hulls - I just don't see those holding up for the long term.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

Hi Steady
Do you think it is real, I hope I'm wrong but it sounds a bit good to be true. They claim to run some pretty power hungry appliances including air-conditioning and heating. All appliances are electric, stove cook top and microwave and motor an average of over an hour a day at an average of 6mph in any weather on what looks like about 20kwh/P.day of power, they must use close to 75% of that power motoring.

(happy to be corrected on my guestimates)

If they recharged a massive battery bank from shore power every couple of days but that seems a bit wrong in the spirit of the trial.

Hi.
I assume you mean the Solar Wave 46 solar power cat I linked.

"Is it real?"
It looks real. It has been seen and used, and visited by boating journalists during its 5 year sea trials.

As for its claims about the solar efficiency and usage of electric appliances, I cannot judge veracity. Perhaps there is more data online and you might find some stories written about it online.
_________

Or...

"Is it real?"
I think the Solar Wave 46 (the boat that was built) is real.

I think the other linked boat (that started this thread) is simply a design concept being "floated" on the internet. I don't particularly like the concept as presented. To my eyes, it looks very "top heavy."

But, that concept boat may never see an ocean crossing, it may be more designed for coastal cruising in benign conditions, or harbor hopping, or motoring around a sheltered bay (e.g. Chesapeake). But, who knows?

Can a large solar catamaran be seaworthy?
There was another solar boat (catamaran) built that traveled around the world. It had a very large solar array, and the bridge deck was high above the water. But it was a large cat.
I included it (Tûranor PlanetSolar) in a post on CF regarding Electric Boats and you can see a few photos and specifications of it there.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2492443