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| Originally Posted by Woodge Yes - certainly DE systems present that versatility as far as power plants are concerned in that the alternators can be turned by anything, as can hydraulic pumps for that matter!
I do believe that the world is steadily moving away from nuclear as a source, because of the 'dirty' connotations that come with it, but that would not preclude mega-yachts from being powered by a mini-reactor.
So what would the world be like with a hundred mini-reactors cruising around the oceans, running aground and having collisions with each other! The Greens will go bananas!  Interesting, none the less.
And sure - solar is hardly worth the mention as a source.
What interests me more will be the construction material and methods of the mega-yachts of the future.
Wooden sailing ships will have their day again, surely? |
This is a nice topic, because it leaves much to the imagination!
Woodge, in the very near future, if a shortfall of oilsupply happens all in a sudden, and the supermega's needs a bit more than "just an engine" to power up, then there might be no other choice - save for remaining in the harbour.
A small nuclear powerplant can be beautifully fitted in a machine room and the only problems to be found are those of the respective governments allowing third parties to buy the radioactive fuel.
Out of nuclear engineering and design's view, there are no real problems to such a conversion. There are enough technicians around that can handle such powerplants and the advantages are so substantial that it surprises me actually that nobody had already made earlier attempt to get such - I admit complex - configuration integrated in a supermega.
Your second topic/issue is absolutely justified/justifiable. The problem is however, that in general the existing shipyards are conservative and do not dare, generally speaking, to discuss this kind of issues with their prospect clients.
Proposing an unusual material might lead to a loss of client and therefore loss of business and international recognition.
In this respect I have to make an exclusion for two Dutch Shipyards, who had dared to proceed, or who were not afraid to tackle this issue.
I am writing this now and if they are reading this, they will know at what I am pointing at.
Seven years have been passed on and still no serious ship has been built from this material.
But where starts material-consciousness?
On the table of the Architect? Yes.
And then?
Shipyard? Up to a certain extend. They might be influential but they are not decisive.
The client then?
No. Just the individual who will say: "I would like to build a boat from that and that material." And suddenly all the architects and yards will pop up, eager to tackle such challence.
Of course, to back up my story, I can name man and horse, so to speak.
This is actually a forum for all, all supporters do have a certain commercial interest,
and the new material wil pop up sometime, somewhere.
Finally, new materials exist, but it needs a no. 1 that will make the decision to go onwards.