Wind-powered freighters?

[stevensfo]

Cars are going back to electric, which predates the use of petrol and diesel. Now we have a return to sailing!

It seems that first results are better than expected.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/world-first-w ... 00206.html

As an amateur sailor, I know how even a light breeze can get a dinghy sailing quite fast with the sails positioned correctly.

But no crows nest? Hornblower will be turning in his fictional grave.

Steve

[Tedx]

Reminds me of 'Giant kites could pull cargo ships across the ocean'

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/30/trav ... index.html

I remember reading about the idea years ago, but we dont seem all that much further on to me.

[DrFfybes]

I'd envisaged some sort of turbine similar to the wing shown which drove the propellor and charged batteries for when the wind dropped, coupled with some sort of solar panel arrangement and a generator as backup.

This looks like a giant Monty Python hand should reach down with a large key and wind it up

[stevensfo]

Reminds me of 'Giant kites could pull cargo ships across the ocean'

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/30/trav ... index.html

I remember reading about the idea years ago, but we dont seem all that much further on to me.

Actually the use of kites is mentioned in the article.

They didn't continue, maybe due to lack of control? Probably best to have sails that are attached to the vessel than a large and potentially dangerous kite high above, swinging all over the place and ready to crash down when the wind drops.

Steve

[Urbandreamer]

Actually the use of kites is mentioned in the article.

They didn't continue, maybe due to lack of control? Probably best to have sails that are attached to the vessel than a large and potentially dangerous kite high above, swinging all over the place and ready to crash down when the wind drops.

Steve

Kites are a great idea for efficiency, provided that you want force in the direction that the wind (trade wind) is blowing. Not so good if you want your force in a slightly different direction. Sort of the difference between square rig sails and gaff sails.

I'm sure that you know and understand, but for others I hunted this link.
https://www.unediscoveryvoyager.org.au/ ... p-physics/

[JohnB]

At least this article mentioned the %age fuel saving, 30%, unlike the daft BBC who just quoted the absolute value.,

[ReformedCharacter]

I'd envisaged some sort of turbine similar to the wing shown which drove the propellor and charged batteries for when the wind dropped, coupled with some sort of solar panel arrangement and a generator as backup.

This looks like a giant Monty Python hand should reach down with a large key and wind it up

About 45 years ago, I wondered if a kite attached to a spool and generator could provide useful power. It looks like someone has tried it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJmlt3_dOuA

RC

[stevensfo]

Actually the use of kites is mentioned in the article.

They didn't continue, maybe due to lack of control? Probably best to have sails that are attached to the vessel than a large and potentially dangerous kite high above, swinging all over the place and ready to crash down when the wind drops.

Steve

Kites are a great idea for efficiency, provided that you want force in the direction that the wind (trade wind) is blowing. Not so good if you want your force in a slightly different direction. Sort of the difference between square rig sails and gaff sails.

I'm sure that you know and understand, but for others I hunted this link.
https://www.unediscoveryvoyager.org.au/ ... p-physics/

So you use a spinnaker. Like a large kite but attached to the front of the boat and controlled along with the sails. You have more control. Much easier and safer than having a bloody great sheet in the clouds that could drop on you at any second.

Steve

PS I have only once sailed on another person's boat where they used a spinnaker. Unless in a race, they're a pain in the proverbial!

[scotia]

Cars are going back to electric, which predates the use of petrol and diesel. Now we have a return to sailing!

It seems that first results are better than expected.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/world-first-w ... 00206.html

As an amateur sailor, I know how even a light breeze can get a dinghy sailing quite fast with the sails positioned correctly.

But no crows nest? Hornblower will be turning in his fictional grave.

Steve

Rotor sails have been around for some time, and appear to have had some success
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotor_ship

[bungeejumper]

I'd envisaged some sort of turbine similar to the wing shown which drove the propellor and charged batteries for when the wind dropped, coupled with some sort of solar panel arrangement and a generator as backup.

I'd imagined the same sort of thing, right up until the moment when I realised it would throb-throb-throb mercilessly, 24 hours a day. You'd have the crew going mad and jumping overboard within a week.

It might have worked better if the turbine had been anchored down to a fixed point, but unfortunately there aren't many of those in the middle of the ocean, so the next best thing they could attach it to was the ship's hull. Which was ultimately attached to your bunk. Sweet dreams.

BJ

[Tedx]

Surely the wind turbine would cause extra drag and the ship would have to burn more fuel to push it forward?

[DrFfybes]

Surely the wind turbine would cause extra drag and the ship would have to burn more fuel to push it forward?

Compared to water drag on the hull it would be negligable when in a neutral position, and the gains when it was working would more than compensate.

It might have worked better if the turbine had been anchored down to a fixed point, but unfortunately there aren't many of those in the middle of the ocean, so the next best thing they could attach it to was the ship's hull. Which was ultimately attached to your bunk. Sweet dreams.

Back to hammocks then