The Suntory Mermaid II: A Wave-Powered Boat (!!!)
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 02.29.08
Photo: PopSci
Wouldn't it be great if boats ran on something that is both clean and plentiful at sea? Like waves for example. That's not so crazy, it seems: The latest offspring of the Mermaid family (see lower in this post for the whole family tree) is the Suntory Mermaid II, a wave-powered boat.
"This month, 69-year-old Japanese sailor Ken-ichi Horie will attempt to captain the world’s most advanced wave-powered boat 4,350 miles from Hawaii to Japan. If all goes as planned, he’ll set the first Guinness world record for the longest distance traveled by a wave-powered boat and, along the way, show off the greenest nautical propulsion system since the sail."
Here's how it works:
Two fins mounted side by side beneath the bow move up and down with the incoming waves and generate dolphin-like kicks that propel the boat forward. “Waves are a negative factor for a ship—they slow it down,” says Yutaka Terao, an engineering professor at Tokai University in Japan who designed the boat’s propulsion system. “But the Suntory can transform wave energy into propulsive power regardless of where the wave comes from.”
The Suntory won't exactly be a speed boat. With a max speed of five knots, it will be at least 2-3 times slower than regular diesel boats, but the goal of Horie is not to beat speed records, it is to demonstrate that wave propulsion can work in the real-world and - hopefully - generate interest in it for commercial cargo shipping.
With some improvement in the wave-propulsion technology and combining it with wind sailing (kites, maybe), we can hope that it will become competitive with fossil fuels.
A few other notable green aspects: The boat is made of recycled aluminum and will use solar power to generate electricity for onboard equipment. Best of luck in your voyages, Captain Horie!
Here's the whole family:
::Suntory Mermaid II Official Site, ::Wave Runner, ::The Suntory Mermaid II Wave-Powered Boat, :: Duh! Powering Boats with Waves
Maybe we will be able to keep up intercontinental trade after peak oil...
I'm glad we are such a creative species.
Can this be "throttled"? If it can't, I see a big problem with it. Most ships that end up in bad weather NEED to control speed lest they end up out of control and sunk, so if you can't throttle it, well it's really cool and neat, but will never replace sails or kite sails.
In reply to JC - couldn't they use the wave power as primary and then have the diesel/gas backup for throttling in inclement weather? Or do sailboats use only sails in rough water? Then a combination of sails and this? This boat reminds me a lot like the old-fashioned paddleboats.
Talk about doldrums!
This technology is in it infinitives and will only improve. There still making improvements to sails and they have been around for 100st of years.
Regarding throttling, an adjustable damper could be used on the mechanism, adding adjustable resistance to the system. This would allow you to throttle it.
"Suntory can transform wave energy into propulsive power regardless of where the wave comes from."
Waves usually come from wind. Another "something that is both clean and plentiful at sea." And sun too. Wait, there's thermo and pressure difference too. Hey wait, and tides and currents. There are a lot of "somethings" that could move you over the oceans at a sea-snail speed. So I guess things are great.
Hawaii won't be easy. Not a lot of wind or waves unless you are against the rocks. Seems like a hybrid system would help. Use stored energy during calm seas.
I'll race him with a sail and 20 tons of cargo for pink slips.
If you use a trimaran, then you can have two seperate mecahnism. Then by retarding one, you might be able to utilize the devices a steering mechanism.
In response to JC. The "fins" can be locked easily into a fixed position.
In reponse to Anonymous. Many solar homes have a supplimental wind powered system. This technology can at least be researched, and possibly incorporated into a hybrid ship. Sails aren't always the answer. They could have ice form on them in Northern climates,etc. Granted, in icy waters, this system may be damaged,however, that is what research and development are for. Redundant systems assist the overall consistancy of a vehicles propulsion system. This project shows initiative.