Swiss boat claims 1st solar-powered Atlantic crossing

[trekz 7]

Swiss boat claims first solar-powered Atlantic crossing Sat Feb 3, 3:54 PM ET

 

 

GENEVA (AFP) - A Swiss-made catamaran has become the first solar-powered boat to cross the Atlantic after reaching the French Caribbean island of Martinique, the boat's owners said.

 

Sun21 reached Martinique's Le Marin harbour at 3:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Friday, 63 days after leaving the Spanish port of Chipiona near Cadiz, the Transatlantic21 partnership said on its website.

 

The 14 metre (46 feet) boat largely followed the historic route sailed by explorer Christopher Columbus on the first known maritime crossing of the Atlantic in the 15th century, making its last stopover in the Canary Islands.

 

The catamaran covered the final 5,000 kilometre (3,100 miles) non-stop leg in 30 days.

 

Crew member Martin Vosseler said the feat was aimed at "sending a clear signal about the arrival of the age of solar power," following a cry of alarm launched by a UN panel of scientists about the impact of climate change.

 

The eight person crew said the 60 square metres of solar panels fuelling Sun21 allowed them to travel up to 198 kilometres (123 miles) a day.

 

"There's hardly any vibration, the solar panels provide us with shade and, unlike a sailing boat, we make good headway even when there's no wind," crewmember Beat von Scarpatetti said on his blog.

 

Sun21 will next head to New York via several Caribbean islands and Miami, aiming to dock in Manhattan in May.

END ARTICLE

 

Hope this encourages more development of solar power!

[Kor37 9]

Thats a great achievement! Are these things able to travel at night or only when the sun is out?

[Odie 0]

They must have batteries to use at night. Charge the batteries during the day use them at night. They still need to be able to navigate at night or they will be in danger from the weather to the sea state not withstanding other ships. There is also the need to get to a place on time.

[Kor37 9]

I wonder if cars could be run the same way??

[Theunicornhunter 2]

I wonder if cars could be run the same way??

 

Have you ever watched the scifi channel series Eureka?

 

I ask because there's a scene in the pilot about a solar car. :blink: