Wave Powered Boat to Sail From Hawaii to Japan

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday February 28, 2008 @12:50AM from the clean-sailing-ahead dept.

CaroKann writes "In the middle of May 2008, Kenichi Horie, an adventurer known for such feats as paddling a pedal powered boat 4,660 miles from Hawaii to Okinawa in 1993, will be sailing a wave powered boat from Honolulu's Hawaii Yacht Club to the Kii Channel in Japan. The boat, a 3-ton catamaran named the Suntory Mermaid II, works by virtue of the fins located at the front of the boat. These fins "generate thrust force by moving up and down like the tails of dolphins and whales and absorbing the energy of the waves." The system can propel the boat no matter which direction the waves come from. Because the wave propulsion system absorbs the energy from the waves, a passenger on the boat will experience a smooth ride. With a top speed of about 5 knots, the journey is expected to take about 2 to 3 months."

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Re:Wave powered boat by Silver+Sloth · 2008-02-28 01:04 · Score: 5, Insightful
You're missing
- Sails aren't that good if the wind is against you, you have to tack whereas wave power works in all directions
- This is a prototype, sails have had millennia to develop. Presumably efficency will increase
- Whilst 'flat calm' does exist, waves are more prevalent than wind, less idle time
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init 11 - for when you need that edge.
Re:Gold Medal by piemcfly · 2008-02-28 01:05 · Score: 5, Insightful

Market possibilities? This is the same guy that sailed across the pacific ocean on a boat made from recycled beer kegs.
Isn't it an enormous feat already that somebody comes up with this idea and makes it work?
It might be marketeable in the future... just like almost every innovative technology. Right now it's a feat to marvel at though.