- Future Boat Developments
A number of ideas are being worked on for future boat developments. Some are new, some have been tried before but may prove more practicable with modern technology. History tells us that many of these projects will come to nothing, but a few will set new standards in the future. According to [http://www.ocean.udel.edu/people/profile.aspx?jcorbett James J. Corbett] of the
University of Delaware , shipping is the next still untapped item that needs to be dealt with and besides the huge economical advantage this would bring (due to heavily reduced fuel consumption), dealing with it may also decrease GHG-emissions for the boats up to 20-30% and decrease health problems in countries [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/frontiers_20071212.shtml James Corbett claiming 20-30% GHG-emissions reduction for shipping is possible as well as economical and health benefits] ]Radical boat designs
*
DK Group has worked out a completely new model for commercial transport boats which will drastically reduce drag and thus fuel consumption [ [http://www.dkgroup.dk/acs_tech.html DK Group ACS-boat model] ]
*Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics 's E/S Orcelle features a radical new boat design and zero-emission engines [ [http://www.worldcargonews.com/htm/n20050405.548544.htm WWL E/S Orcelle ro-ro ship] ]
* Other ultra-low drag boat designs as air-cushionedCatamaran s (eg [http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/skjold/skjold3.html Skjold] and [http://www.hawaiisuperferry.com/ Hawaii Superferry] )More efficient sails and other propulsion systems
*
SkySails
* Flettner rotors
*Turbosail
* Automated sailing systems (as too present in the "Maltese Falcon" [ [http://tall-sails-adventure.blogspot.com/2007/08/maltese-falcon-sailing-yacht.html Automated sailing system present in Maltese Falcon] ] and theShin Aitoku Maru [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,951545,00.html Shin Aitoku Maru as a converted tanker with automated sailing] ] [ [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL33360.pdf Shin Aitoku Maru converted from regular ship to less-polluting ship using automated sails] ] )
* More efficient propellers asSupercavitation propeller s andPump-jet sFluid and aerodynamics technologies
*
Air Cavity Systems [ [http://www.marinetalk.com/articles-marine-companies/art/Air-Cavity-System-Might-Save-Fuel-DKG00271646TU.html ACS systems might save fuel] ]
* Above water hull air flow; as too found inLongship s [ [http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/ET/popup/200712041200.html Viking longships having improved above hull air flow] ]
*Continuous variable transmission propeller (as present in the [http://wasub2.tudelft.nl/index.php?id=11 WaSub2] and [http://www.hawaiisuperferry.com/ Hawaii Superferry] )
* Drag reducingBulbous bow -equipped ships (egRMS Queen Mary 2 )
*Hydrofoil sEnergy generation
*
Solar panel s for powering primary and secondary systems [ [http://www.yachtcouncil.com/boating-stories.asp?t=stories&news_id=248 Solar panels for secondary systems power] ]
* [http://www.solarnavigator.net/solar_boats.htm Solar panel-powered boats] for electricity generation and propulsionTargeted programmes
* The
Ecolution -project set up byWubbo Ockels is trying to make a completely "green" boat.Bionics research
Through the field of
Bionics , water resistance from friction may be reduced by a factor 7Fact|date=January 2008. This has been described bySir James Gray in hisGray's paradox . Research into implementation has been done byMIT 'sCenter for Ocean Engineering in itsRoboTuna project. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_n2613_v124/ai_18356746 The Robotuna project by MIT] ]Mitsubishi 's roboticcoelacanth ,Auke Ijspeert 'sAmphibot as well asAndrew Sneath 'sRoboshark are also similar projects that tap intobionics -research to create faster water vehicles. Finally, 2 other leading professors onbionics ,John Videler andEize Stamhuis have also worked out real-life real-life improvements to boats; namely on ship stabilisors.ee also
*
Zero-emissions vehicle
*Boat building
* RegularTrimaran s as the Earth Voyager [ [http://www.prosetepoxy.com/newsletters/Report%202005-2.pdf Earth Voyager] ] andCatamaran s as the [http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/articles/design/ngdesign/ekolo34/index.html Ekolo'kat 34]References
External links
* [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL33360.pdf Navy Ship Propulsion Technologies: Options for Reducing Oil Use]
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