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SkySail

By Miss Cellania in Science & Tech on Jan 20, 2008 at 7:10 pm


SkySail

Ships were powered by the wind for centuries, and those days may be returning! The MS Beluga, a 462ft cargo vessel, will leave Germany on Tuesday for a voyage to Venezuela. During the trip, the crew will deploy a SkySail, a 160 square meter kite which will ride the wind 600 feet up. Its inventor, Stephan Wrage, believes the use of SkySail can cut diesel consumption by 20%, which will save £800 (about $1600) a day. Link -via reddit


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COMMENT
  1. markjamesmurphy
    Jan 20th, 2008 at 10:02 pm

    It's another case of life imitating Waterworld.

  2. Christophe
    Jan 21st, 2008 at 12:12 am

    Ships were powered by slaves for centuries, and those days could be returning!
    To you oars! Row! Row! Row!

  3. Christophe
    Jan 21st, 2008 at 12:44 am

    More seriously : in the 70's Cousteau invented the Turbosail, which was said to be installed on all cargo's due to fuel economy. Ir was not.
    Well, maybe with a 100 bucks a barrel, the ship companies will have a look at it.

  4. otterly
    Jan 21st, 2008 at 2:29 am

    I saw something once in Alaska where this fisherman used a sail like that but smaller and not in the sky but in the river, to harness the current. I guess it works very nicely.

  5. James
    Jan 21st, 2008 at 2:45 am

    Looks interesting. But the sail probably will be expensive too, no?

    christophe: yes, there's a future in the rowing slave market!! ;)

  6. Lasse
    Jan 21st, 2008 at 6:10 am

    I see some great opportunities for advertising, too.

  7. Terry
    Jan 21st, 2008 at 11:10 am

    What's with the FlickR login screen?

  8. Bruno
    Jan 21st, 2008 at 7:16 pm

    "Fuel consumption of a
    fully laden 200-Metre Ship"

    African or European?

  9. Cameron
    Jan 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    Looks like it acts like a spinnaker. I could fly that chute. =P

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