[brian eiland]

http://www.skysails.info/index.php?i...ash=db100ad2b6

Hamburg / Mo-I-Rana, 14 March 2008. “We can once again actually ‘sail’ with cargo ships, thus opening a new chapter in the history of commercial shipping,“ was the verdict from Captain Lutz Heldt following his return from the nearly two-month maiden voyage of the multi-purpose heavy-lift project carrier “Beluga SkySails”, which sailed from Germany to Venezuela, the United States and Norway. In even moderate winds, the first flights of an initial 160-square-meter towing kite propulsion system from the Hamburg-based manufacturer SkySails demonstrated how this innovative auxiliary propulsion system was able to substitute for 20% of the engine’s power. “With that we impressively validated the original expectations we had for the system“, was how SkySails managing director Stephan Wrage (35) assessed the first practical trials aboard the Beluga ship. “In the future, depending on the route and weather conditions, we’ll be able to post fuel savings of between 10% and 35% using wind power.” The “Beluga SkySails” set sail to Venezuela from Bremen on 22 January and reached the Norwegian port of Mo-I-Rana on 13 March 2008 after travelling a total of 11,952 nautical miles. The testing of the SkySails-System on board the ship newbuilding MV “Beluga SkySails” to be equipped with this innovative technology is being co-funded with some 1.2 million euros as part of the European Union’s “LIFE” program.

“The MV ´Beluga SkySails’ maiden voyage is proof in motion of a new kind of hybrid drive on the water that simultaneously reduces both voyage costs and climate-damaging emissions,“ said Niels Stolberg (47), the president and CEO of the Bremen-based project and heavy-lift cargo shipping company Beluga Shipping.

“The initial focus during the first half of what is set to be an approximately 12-months pilot testing phase aboard the “Beluga SkySails” is on calibration work and adjustments to stabilize the towing kite propulsion,” reported Stephan Brabeck (46), the technical director of SkySails, adding how “in the second half the flight times will be extended and the performance perfected.” On numerous days during the maiden voyage the system was put in action for periods of between a few minutes and up to eight hours. During that time the SkySails-System pulled the ship with up to 5 tons of power at force 5 winds, which when compared to the engine output represents a relief of more than 20%. Projected onto an entire day, this performance by the “Beluga SkySails” represents savings of about 2.5 tons of fuel and more than $1,000 a day.

Captain Lutz Heldt (57) is impressed with the first flights of the 160 square-meter SkySails aboard the MV “Beluga SkySails”. After the pilot phase the towing kite will be replaced by one that is twice the size, delivering double the amount of energy and which will save two times as much fuel and climate-damaging emissions. Beluga Shipping GmbH in Bremen expects a drop in bunker costs of approximately $2,000 per operating day. The shipping company will be giving part of these savings – 20 percent – directly to the crew as an incentive. Kites with a sail surface of up to 600 square meters will be used on two larger Beluga P-Series carriers that are to be outfitted with SkySails-Systems in the future. Currently under construction, each vessel will have 20,000 tons deadweight and on-board cranes with a lifting capacity of 800 to 1,400 tons.


The WINTECC project
The goal of the WINTECC (WINd propulsion TEChnology for Cargo vessels) project, which is partly funded by the EU as part of its “LIFE“ program, is to measure the savings in energy and CO2 that can be achieved with the help of an innovative propulsion technology. “By cofunding this undertaking we want to set a clear signal for climate relevant technologies of the future. And we are delighted that the SkySails technology offers such an enormous global potential for savings“, commented Paul F. Nemitz, deputy head of the European Commission’s Maritime Policy Task Force, about promoting the project. The EU is contributing 1.2 million euros of the project’s total budget of 4 million euros as part of its “LIFE” program. Also taking part in the undertaking besides Beluga Fleet Management GmbH & Co. KG in Bremen and the manufacturer SkySails from Hamburg are the companies OceanWaveS in Lüneburg and ALDEBARAN in Hamburg. (Demonstration of an Innovative Wind Propulsion Technology for Cargo Vessels, Project Number: LIFE06 ENV/D/000479)

[Codger]

It's good to see that the technologies are being advanced and proven. Perhaps 150buck a bbl oil will provide these developments further acceleration. Exciting times.

Brian, there is an upside to your "Perfect Storm".

[brian eiland]

Smoother sailing on kite-and-diesel hybrid ships

From sails to steam to diesel – and back to sails. That’s what some innovative shipping companies advocate to clean up the polluting cocktail of smokestack spew from tankers and yachts. As a proof of concept, this week the MV Beluga SkySails, a ship outfitted with a 160-square-meter kite, finished a breezy voyage from Germany to Venezuela, the United States and Norway, powered in part by wind across 11,952 nautical miles.

The Beluga SkySails system uses software that charts a course to find the best wind conditions, and compressed air to change the angle of the kite to match different wind speeds and weather. The European Union-funded company’s chief executive expects to see fuel savings of 10 to 35 percent using wind power, depending on the route. To achieve further increases, the company expects to move to a larger sail of about 320 square meters later in 2008.

Kites are more than just a gimmick; simple as they may be, they’re a legitimate avenue of research, along with investigations into speed reductions, the potential to switch to less harmful fuels from diesel, and the elimination of drag. For example, in 2005 a shipping company unveiled its “concept car carrier” – alas, not the platform upon which all concept cars are shuttled around to motor shows, but rather a zero-emissions, solar/wind/fuel-cell-powered tanker called the E/S Orcelle. But before that vessel makes it out into the open waters, we’ll more likely see ships run on gas, probably with sleeker profiles and improvements in propeller design. Consider, for example, a company called PAX Scientific that designs biomimetic, spiral-shaped turbines that could help ships cut through water more smoothly, improving their fuel efficiency by about 10 percent.

It remains to be seen whether retrofitting sails to tankers will catch on, but Skysails estimates the potential upgrade market for its system at more than 40,000 ships. Through 2013, Skysails is targeting less than 1% of that market—about 400 ships.

A key part of the success of sails will depend on incorporating satellite predictions and long-range weather forecasts to help chart courses that are energy-efficient without sacrificing much on speed. Past efforts to launch kite-based ship propulsion have floundered due to the unpredictability of wind conditions.

And there’s definitely room for improvement in long-distance shipping. A 2003 University of Delaware study found that the world shipping fleet consumes about 289 million tons of fuel each year, of course accompanied by a gargantuan emissions profile. According to Geotimes, “the world’s fleet of cargo ships, fueled by refinery leftovers — black sludge that’s cheaper and thicker than crude oil — emits more carbon dioxide than the world’s fleet of airplanes.”

...from a blog "Plenty" green magazine

[brian eiland]

Another video of a small cat being powered by a kite
http://www.kiteboat.com/kb_videos.html

[Codger]

Originally Posted by brian eiland

Another video of a small cat being powered by a kite
http://www.kiteboat.com/kb_videos.html

That was serious FUN.

[brian eiland]

video I was referenced to:
Sit-down kiting
http://www.skytoys.co.nz/Kite%20videos.htm

[brian eiland]

Video showing stability of a Peter Lynn kite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSWfi5AMT2E&amp

This is promising, my experience with traction kites is that they have to--have to-- be flown all the time. Apparently the model shown is water-relaunchable as well.

Hmmmmm.
...from another forum, contributed by eponodyne

[brian eiland]

Either this French group has been reading my posting,

...or I've been reading their site,

...or many of us are thinking along the same lines.

... and Dave Culp (Kiteship) was way ahead of us all

[brian eiland]

On my initial posting I included a photo of a possible stern treatment for a tri style hull. Here is another 'deployable stern' photo I ran across.

[brian eiland]

Video shot

...click on "english version" and check out the competition...first a windsurfer, then a kite sailor.

[brian eiland]

...just saw this news from Sail-World.com, and being that it relates to 'supplemental wind power' I felt it belonged in this subject thread


Advance to the Past: Fishermen Start to use Sails

Commercial fishermen in the UK are reverting to wind power in response to soaring fuel prices, as skippers rig their boats with auxiliary sails to cut the amount of diesel they use.

The move comes as a new generation of vessels is being developed that will rely almost exclusively on sails.

Higher fuel costs threaten to force many fishermen out of business. The price of the red diesel the industry uses has doubled in less than a year, while fish prices have remained relatively stable.

Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said a number of skippers were now using sail power to help them travel the long distances between port and their fishing grounds.

'Skippers are putting on foresails while steaming to fishing grounds offshore,' he said. 'The whole cost structure of the industry has shifted so dramatically as a result of fuel price rises, and in response, vessels are looking at what they can do to reduce costs.

'Fleets are going to have to find ways of reducing fuel dependency. Everyone is looking for the optimum steaming speed and people are looking at a whole range of measures, including sail.'

Auxiliary sails were once commonly used by fishermen to pick up extra speed, but they died out in the 1980s as engines became more powerful. 'These sails might sound a bit Heath Robinson and a bit of a throwback, but in other ways they are the future,' Mr Deas added. 'We used to have windmills in this country. Now we are building windfarms.'

At the wheel of his boat, the 36ft Sardia Louise, Roly Kirby, a fisherman from Helford River, Cornwall, said he had saved up to a fifth of his weekly fuel bill since fitting a sail to the 20ft mast. He uses the sail while steaming to and from fishing grounds up to 20 miles from his home port, where he lays nets for monkfish.

'We are steaming for about three hours out and three hours back every day, but with the sail, we can cut the revolutions back on the engine from about 1,300 to 900 and still make the same speed,' he said.

Mr Kirby, 33, steamed along the sheltered Helford River while crewmate Perry Roger, 28, tied a spinnaker sail to a mast at the bow. Once out into Falmouth Bay, the potent northwesterly filled the sail and the throttle was eased back to save on fuel as the Sardia Louise stormed towards the Lizard.

'We have been using another sail, which is bigger, but this one seems to be doing the job today,' said Mr Kirby. 'You have to be careful in case the wind is too strong for the sail, but in these waters it just gives you the right helping hand.' Since October last year, the cost of red diesel has risen from 30p to 60p a litre, and Mr Kirby now spends about £1,000 a week on fuel. It is his biggest single expense and means that after paying wages, insurance and leasing a quota, he must catch fish worth at least £6,000 every week to make a profit. 'The fuel prices are terrifying, so the savings I can make are a real boost,' he added.

'Of course, it depends on the direction and strength of the wind, but these are pretty good results using an old spinnaker from a racing yacht on a traditionally built fishing boat. It looks like the future. I'm sure this will catch on more and more.'

Kevin Bennetts, a former fisherman who now runs an oil firm selling diesel to fishermen in Cornwall, said: 'A lot of people are dragging old bits of sails out of their lofts and hoisting them up. It can make a difference, supplementing the engine.'

Although the use of sail is currently limited to small and medium-sized boats, there are plans to harness the power of the wind for Britain's biggest and most powerful fishing boats, such as beam trawlers, which use up to £12,000-worth of fuel a week.

A German company is developing a system that would allow larger trawlers to be powered by a computer-controlled kite flying off their bows. The technology is already used on two cargo ships and can provide up to 35 per cent of their power.

In a separate development, an Essex boatyard is developing a new generation of sailing vessels for fishermen. Gemini Workboats in Colchester has designed a 30ft catamaran which uses its small, 14-horsepower engine only to enter and leave harbour and in emergencies. Boats of a similar size would normally require an engine of about 200bhp and would use around £600 of fuel during a week's fishing.

Plans for the catamaran, which will cost about £60,000, are to be announced this week, and work on the first boat is expected to start in October. Although it would not be suitable for trawling, the vessel could be used for laying nets and pots and for trolling - dragging baited lines behind the boat. Andrew Craig, of the company, said: 'This is the first boat of its kind really since the 1930s. But it is time to go back to them. They are cheap to build and cheap to run. We think there will be huge demand. Sailing's time has come again.'

by Jaspar Copping, Telegraph/Sail-World
_________________________________________________
Of course I've tried promoting the idea of 'Sportfishing Under Sail' for quite some time:

...and at one point I commented, "Several times I’ve put this idea into hibernation, particularly the ‘Gamefishing Under Sail’ idea. My comment at the time was something like, “I just spent 18 years in the sailboat business trying to convince sailors of the virtues of multihulls, and now I’m going to try and sell a fishing guy a boat with sails on it. I’ve got to be crazy!”
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sho...41&postcount=3

RunningTideYachts.com
http://www.runningtideyachts.com/gamefishing/

...on another subject thread
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/ge...ail-power.html

[brian eiland]

..from another forum

Originally Posted by eponodyne

Thanks for posting that. It always helps to clear the air a little.

I think that it might help, when talking about kite-assist technologies, to define what size and class of vessels we're discussing. What a VLCC or Panamax freighter needs is a lot different to what a dinghy sailor could use, and that's different to what a blue-water cruiser might need.

I don't know much about the Skysails developments-- not many here besides Dave Culp do, I'd wager; but I have been flying controllable kites for years, kiteboard frequently, and have a pretty good grasp on what's involved with the consumer-level kites on the market these days.

First, the idea that they're "uncontrollable:" the whole point of control lines is to control the kite, and they do this with aplomb and efficiency. Even a behemoth like the Flysurf 19 sq m is easily made to do what you want it to, for a very simple reason: You don't steer the kite by sheeting in against the pull, you steer it by dumping lift off the side toward which you want the kite to go. Easing lines, not sheeting in. It doesn't take much, either-- a nudge of that side of the bar toward the kite, wait a second or two, then another nudge on the other side of the bar.

Second, that they must be kept flying by waving them all over half creation: Well, kind of. These kites were designed to pull surfers around over waves, and as such, some of them aren't terribly stable. So, yes, those kites need to be constantly tended. But more and more kites are being made so they're stable in flight--Peter Lynn's Scorpion series actually will auto-zenith, which is to say they will return to a stable overhead position absent any other input. Many other kites, especially the flatter-cut "Bow" kites, will happily hold a "park and ride" postion, where you hang the kite somewhere and it just... stays there. Airflow and lift and drag and everything balance out. On a board, this requires very minimal attention, probably because of the scant mass of the vessel. On a larger boat, it would be interesting to see if this workload would be reduced, and I think it would. Anyway, for a daysailor, isn't half the fun pulling on the bits of string?

Third, the idea that kites can't work upwind. Well, if that's true, then planes can't climb to altitude. These aren't simple bags to capture the wind we're talking about here-- these are complicated wing assemblies that happen to be made out of cloth. The leading edges are often inflated (which provides support and shape) making them water-relaunchable in the process. Now, I think the jury's still out on just how far upwind a kite can work, but I know for a stone fact I and my kiteboard rig can point higher and work upwind faster than the ubiquitous Hobie 16. I know this because I won $50 in a bet last summer doing just that.

Fourth, the expense. These kites don't cost any more than a comparable sail of similar quality; figure about $1-1.5K USD for a decently sized (10-12 sq. m)kite from a reputable manufacturer. Usually comes complete with Spectra or Dyneema lines and a control bar.


I think kites are the future, I've said so before on this forum and even upthread in this very discussion, at least for daysailors. No masts, no chainplates, no shrouds, no backstays, no vangs, booms, spars of any kind. Four or five lines, and no need for Harken blocks anywhere. No halyards tapping the mast at anchor. No overengineering the hull to support the loads delivered by a tradtional sail and mast. No ballast needed to keep the boat on her feet. Easy to use. Safe for children.

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by eponodyne

Video showing stability of a Peter Lynn kite.

This is promising, my experience with traction kites is that they have to--have to-- be flown all the time. Apparently the model shown is water-relaunchable as well.

Hmmmmm.

Peter Lynn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSWfi5AMT2E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh8GIZ7SmAc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe_kP-nEgYs&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw3Di0v96YE

[brian eiland]

Originally Posted by Brian

Which is first yacht application?

Originally Posted by Richard

I was sure that question would come up.
Sorry. agreement of non disclosure.

Couple of more possibilities for first yacht application??
1) Design Valbella:
The French dock yard, 30 Metres Plus Yachts, has signed the first sales contract for a SkySails super yacht system. 30 Metres Plus Yachts will install the SkySails-System on the new built Valbella, a 40 metres SkySails motor hybrid super yacht. The Valbella will be able to soundlessly cross the sea using the SkySails-System without support from the main engine. The dock yard in France plans to specialise in the construction of SkySails motor hybrid yachts after completing and testing the Valbella.
30 Metres Plus Yachts

2) Design VPLP:
At the 2007 Festival de Plaisance in Cannes, Van Peteghem Lauriot Prévost Yacht Design were publicising the Noah 76’, a semi-production power catamaran designed to carry an optional 80m² SkySails that could drive the yacht at around 10 knots. Designed as an auxiliary system, the canting launch mast would be mounted on the beams connecting the two hulls and supporting the forward trampoline net.

3) Design Humphreys: (note:MY FAVORITE)
This 40m Motoryacht represents a new development in yachting, merging the benefits of a low resistance, fuel-efficient hull form with an unusual propulsive device - a fully automated, self-tending kite.
PFD Concept

Guess which one signed the first contract??

[brian eiland]

Speaking of 'control' over those kites, have a look at the women in kite sailing:

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/ge...nal-video.html

Enjoy the video and sights