Article

2006-12-05 Science & Technology

Shipping firm brings back days of sail with the aid of a giant kite

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by .com 2006-12-05 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Watch out for giant trees.

Posted by ed 2006-12-05 00:37|| 2006-12-05 00:37|| Front Page Top

#2 I've experimented with kite-fishing, you could go after ~~Shamu~~ Moby Dick with this sucker.

Posted by Shipman 2006-12-05 08:21|| 2006-12-05 08:21|| Front Page Top

#3 When it comes to sailing, can a kite do anything other than "go large" (aka sail directly down wind)?

Seems that this wouldn't be any help other than straight downwind which would seem to be seldom, no? (My sailing knowledge comes solely from Patrick O'Brien novels)

Posted by AlanC">AlanC 2006-12-05 08:37|| 2006-12-05 08:37|| Front Page Top

#4 It seems to me that the best way to harness wind energy would be to mount vertical windmills on the deck to catch the wind from any direction, except when the ship is heading into the wind.

In turn, the energy generated by the windmills could provide electrical power that wouldn't have to be generated by fuel, saving energy.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-12-05 11:21|| 2006-12-05 11:21|| Front Page Top

#5 Wait for the cries of affecting the air currents the water birdies soar on whilst hunting to start momentarily.

Posted by Ranchin B. Hard 2006-12-05 14:35|| 2006-12-05 14:35|| Front Page Top

#6 THis seems to act like a spinnaker, so yeah, pretty mucg down wind with a slight, maybe 20 degree sweet spot?

Posted by Closh Cleck7628 2006-12-05 16:01|| 2006-12-05 16:01|| Front Page Top

#7 A spinnaker, arrr.
Shouldn't we be talking like pirates on this thread ?

Head into the wind, mates, lash the spinnaker, make yer course 265 Mister Cleck. Arrrr !

Posted by wxjames 2006-12-05 17:47|| 2006-12-05 17:47|| Front Page Top

#8 There were actualy several largish Yatch/boats built with a windmill providing the direct power to the propeller.
They were pretty good at sailing directly upwind (Normaly impossible) but otherwise simply not worth the effort.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2006-12-05 20:13|| 2006-12-05 20:13|| Front Page Top

23:54 gromgoru
23:47 gromgoru
23:46 gromgoru
23:44 gromgoru
23:44 newc
23:42 JosephMendiola
23:40 gromgoru
23:39 newc
23:34 newc
23:34 gromgoru
23:31 gromgoru
23:30 JosephMendiola
23:30 newc
23:17 3dc
23:13 Old Patriot
23:12 Kalle (kafir forever)
23:11 Mick Dundee
23:02 JosephMendiola
22:56 JosephMendiola
22:54 USN,Ret
22:48 twobyfour
22:46 DMFD
22:21 Zenster
22:19 Glenmore