Boat rides wave power

by Josh Loposer
Mar 17th 2008 @ 4:30PM

Filed under: Cars and Transportation, Alternative Energy

Sailing solo from Honolulu to the Kii Channel in Japan is no small feat. Even with a motor that's quite a trip. Well, Japanese adventurer Kenichi Horie plans to make the voyage with no sail, motor or even oars. His boat, the Suntory Mermaid II is designed to propel him across the Pacific using nothing but the power of waves.

The two-hulled catamaran design actually uses fins in the front to create an effect that's similar to a dolphin's kick. Each time the waves rock Horie's boat back and forth, the flippers push him towards Japan. It's no speed racer -- faster than walking, yet slower than jogging -- but Horie expects the Mermaid II to make the 4,400 mile trip in just under 3 months.

The boat itself is a marvel of sustainable science. Not only does it use waves as its source of energy, but it is built out of recycled aluminum and uses solar panels for it's electric needs. Horie came up with the idea for a wave-powered boat when he accidentally broke a mast on one of his boats. From the article:

"The boat kept rocking and I thought how great it would be to actually harness the power of those waves to push the boat forward."

This won't be Horie's first voyage on an unconventional ship, he's piloted boats that propelled by wind, solar, and even pedal power. His previous voyage found him sailing from Japan to San Francisco on a boat constructed of recycle whiskey kegs, aluminum cans, and a sail made of plastic soda bottles.

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