Unless you can feather your prop blades i figure about 100 yards/hour.
Jeezez. I wonder what the deployment and then reel-in process looks like. And how long. And how often is the wind likely within 25-45* at your aft.
Funny how things come full circle, who would have thought a Spinnaker could come in handy to save fuel. Considering they were used before fuel was used... lol
how do they actually get that thing inflated, helicopter lift?
or helium upper edge...
It works!! I ran out of gas on my pontoon a couple times, and that is how I made it back in!! gotta be a pretty big kite though for a freighter!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-hEvAiPUPI
Hmmmm …
As a sailor, I can say that cargo ships generally don’t care who else is out on the oceans …
Vessels “under sail” have navigation advantages under rights-of-way rules. This tech could signal an applicable rules change for cargo ships …
These cargo vessels will continue to disregard the maritime rights of others, no doubt, but this device will put them in another column of the law.
More thought required…
You can make a Spinnaker for a canoe with a rectangle tarp... Works great...
Makes you wonder how ships sailed prior to steam engines....
Babylon Bee or The Onion
That picture and article can almost be from The Babylon Bee. Great if it works out. 20% is a good savings.
That’s very cool. Let the air pull you across the ocean. What a concept.
In a hurrricane it`ll do 250 knots.
What’s old is new again, with a modern twist. Why not? This is some sane “renewable” power technology that I can support.
Q: What did socialists use for seagoing vessels before sailing ships?
A: Steam-turbine ships.
Right out of Popular Mechanics Magazine circa 1977
I call feldercarb.
The efficiency in wind & solar were wildly overestimated so we’ll see how this works out.
Should be able to turn on a dime.
Expect more US Navy Captains to run into other ships once the Navy installs sails on their frigates.