Firehawk2047
New Member
Hi all!
I am new to the forum - I'm very happy to join
I wanted to ask for your feedback on a concept I am thinking about.
I want to start a fun side project to create a boat that can circumnavigate using a kite power system and set a world speed record. I currently have a sailboat captains license (24-meters class) and will soon get open ocean qualifications, yet I am quite a rookie.
As an aerospace engineer it seems obvious there is a much more efficient way of propelling a sailboat, by essentially moving the wings higher up in the atmospeheric boundary layer. Furthermore, circumnavigating with this technology would bring it in the spotlight and could play a role in accelerating its adoption.
As a starting point I was thinking of using a second-hand sailboat (perhaps a Bavaria 30) and large kite (e.g. a 26 sq. m. wing from kitesurfing) to build a proof of concept. The kite would be inflatable and it would be released and retreived from the top of the mast automatically. It would be physically attached to the ship at the base of the mast (to mimise moments) via a single-line dyneema tether. It could also be attached in a less invasive manner perhaps using a towing configuration (https://goo.gl/mCycvE). This line would go to a small control box which essentially would simulate a human operator with several lines going to the kite from the control unit.
I was wondering what are your thoughts on this concept of mine. Do you happen to have any recommendations? Does it sound fun? Would you use such a system on your boat if it turns out to work well?
I am new to the forum - I'm very happy to join
I wanted to ask for your feedback on a concept I am thinking about.
I want to start a fun side project to create a boat that can circumnavigate using a kite power system and set a world speed record. I currently have a sailboat captains license (24-meters class) and will soon get open ocean qualifications, yet I am quite a rookie.
As an aerospace engineer it seems obvious there is a much more efficient way of propelling a sailboat, by essentially moving the wings higher up in the atmospeheric boundary layer. Furthermore, circumnavigating with this technology would bring it in the spotlight and could play a role in accelerating its adoption.
As a starting point I was thinking of using a second-hand sailboat (perhaps a Bavaria 30) and large kite (e.g. a 26 sq. m. wing from kitesurfing) to build a proof of concept. The kite would be inflatable and it would be released and retreived from the top of the mast automatically. It would be physically attached to the ship at the base of the mast (to mimise moments) via a single-line dyneema tether. It could also be attached in a less invasive manner perhaps using a towing configuration (https://goo.gl/mCycvE). This line would go to a small control box which essentially would simulate a human operator with several lines going to the kite from the control unit.
I was wondering what are your thoughts on this concept of mine. Do you happen to have any recommendations? Does it sound fun? Would you use such a system on your boat if it turns out to work well?