Technology that moves sailboats across the water is as old as the first time a human lashed logs together to make a raft. It’s been a long time since real innovation has come to our doorstep. Probably the last drastic innovation came with the sloop-rigged boat which allows us to sail more into the wind.
The Volitan by designers Hakan Gursu and Sozum Dogan is equipped with rigid “sails” that harness both wind and electricity as they leverage built-in solar panels.
The body is built from carbon fiber and liquid resin, one of the strongest and lightest combination of material we have come up with to date. As a backup to wind, the 105 foot vessel is equipped with twin 220 HP, DC electric motors which push the hull through the water like a knife through butter.
From the designers:
“The objective was to create a new and alternative sailing vessel that would achieve a lightweight system, high sail performance, and all-weather navigation capacity with near zero emissions. Additionally, a requirement was to use technologically innovative materials and new construction techniques to minimize weight and hydrodynamic resistance whilst maximizing performance and durability. These technical requirements were to be incorporated into a new form that allowed freedom of all dynamic parts whilst providing visual appeal and overall quality into a non-stop circumnavigating.”
Want to see more green sailboats? Here are more:
The Plastiki, made from 12,000 recycled water bottles. Even the sails are made form recycled plastic.
The Marvin, an electric/diesel hybrid multi-hulled ship that cuts through the water.
The Kitano, kite sailing boat raises the sail to a higher altitude which often yields faster and more reliable wind currents.
Cool huh? As if sailing wasn’t eco-friendly enough, these boats push the limits.
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