GL: Solar trawler for the Loop

[LRZeitlin at aol.com]

Alas, solar powered boats may well be our major option in the future. A Wall
Street Journal article recently predicted that diesel fuel might rise to $10 a
gallon by the middle of the next decade. Probably sooner if more wars break
out in the Mideast.
On the other hand the price of solar panels is declining and given the push
for hybrid cars, better batteries are on the horizon. The convergence of
economics and technology is likely to make solar boat power more appealing.

But boats themselves will have to change. No more fast trawlers. Recreational
boats may start to look like miniature aircraft carriers. A lot of emphasis
will be placed on catamaran designs which offer the dual advantge of slick,
easily moved hulls and plenty of deck area for mounting solar cells.

Solar powered boats offer no particular handicap to Loopers who travel north
of the Mason-Dixon from May to September and head south during the winter.
There is plenty of sun up north during those months. But late Autumn cruises
will
be limited to just a few hours a day. Boaters in the cloudy Northwest might
find themselves tied to the dock all winter. Of course they could always
convert to steam power and burn some of the floating logs. And real seafaring
diehards will continue to use the original solar power source - sails.

Larry Z


In a message dated 10/3/07 12:00:24 AM, great-loop-request at lists.samurai.com
writes:


> Aaaahhhhh, Tommy........Anybody who runs more than 4 hours per day is in
> way too much of a hurry!
>   
>   Phil
>
>
> Tommy Terrific <circumnavigate06 at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>   NO way you would get more than a few hours run time regardless of battery
> bank.....with flat mounted panels, there is only four productive hours of
> sunlight per day.
> TT
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> To: ;
> Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:27 PM
> Subject: GL: AN interesting concept for a trawler
>
>
> > check this out, an Electric driven boat.
> _______________________________________________
> http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop
>
>




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