4 ms·

Why one? Why not 5 or 10? (since the savings quoted are between 10% to 20%) I realize this must be a test, but I’m surprised they don’t discuss plans for multi

Why one? Why not 5 or 10? (since the savings quoted are between 10% to 20%) I realize this must be a test, but I’m surprised they don’t discuss plans for multiple. Are the projected savings actual or “theoretical”?

rileyphone 9y ago
I think some ships have two, but the reason you can't stuff a bunch in there is the same reason planes usually have only one wing.
- paulsutter 9y ago
  Oh right that’s why ships have only one sail, and wind farms have only one windmill, because same reason as planes. Good point. Where can I see the ships with two?
  - satori99 9y ago
    A sailing vessel with a single sail still has two foils for generating lift. The other 'wing' is the boats keel. It is net force from both that propels a sailing boat forward.
- ouid 9y ago
  most planes have 5 wings under any reasonable accounting.
  - nabla9 9y ago
    Most planes have only two wings. Wings producing lift and keep the plane up. Two little horizontal 'wings' at the back are horizontal stabilizers. They are like wings but installed upside down (they produce negative lift and push the tail down).
satori99 9y ago
It's not a test of the technology. This has been tried many times before. Perhaps most famously by the Cousteau Society, with their expedition ship 'Alcyone' built in the mid 80's. It used two, and they called them Turbosails. I was fortunate enough to have been given a tour when I was a child and the ship visited Sydney. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbosail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbosail http://colaco.freeshell.org/downloads/alcyone/zoom_alcyone_canada.jpg http://colaco.freeshell.org/downloads/alcyone/zoom_alcyone_c... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyone_(ship) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyone_(ship)
- matt_the_bass 9y ago
  I have a crazy story about that ship. I transited on that vessel in March 2002 from the endeavor museum to a vip event on the other side of manhattan. The crew forgot to notify Port control and we were swiftly intercepted by the coast guard. They had guns drawn and nearly boarded us. The sails looked like missle silos and we were almost in sight of ground zero only a few months after 9/11. The situation was exacerbated by the French crew monitoring international channel 16 not US channel 16. So they never responded to the USCG hailing them.

rileyphone 9y ago

I think some ships have two, but the reason you can't stuff a bunch in there is the same reason planes usually have only one wing.

paulsutter 9y ago
Oh right that’s why ships have only one sail, and wind farms have only one windmill, because same reason as planes. Good point. Where can I see the ships with two?
- satori99 9y ago
  A sailing vessel with a single sail still has two foils for generating lift. The other 'wing' is the boats keel. It is net force from both that propels a sailing boat forward.
ouid 9y ago
most planes have 5 wings under any reasonable accounting.
- nabla9 9y ago
  Most planes have only two wings. Wings producing lift and keep the plane up. Two little horizontal 'wings' at the back are horizontal stabilizers. They are like wings but installed upside down (they produce negative lift and push the tail down).

satori99 9y ago

It's not a test of the technology. This has been tried many times before. Perhaps most famously by the Cousteau Society, with their expedition ship 'Alcyone' built in the mid 80's. It used two, and they called them Turbosails. I was fortunate enough to have been given a tour when I was a child and the ship visited Sydney. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbosail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbosail http://colaco.freeshell.org/downloads/alcyone/zoom_alcyone_canada.jpg http://colaco.freeshell.org/downloads/alcyone/zoom_alcyone_c... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyone_(ship) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcyone_(ship)

matt_the_bass 9y ago
I have a crazy story about that ship. I transited on that vessel in March 2002 from the endeavor museum to a vip event on the other side of manhattan. The crew forgot to notify Port control and we were swiftly intercepted by the coast guard. They had guns drawn and nearly boarded us. The sails looked like missle silos and we were almost in sight of ground zero only a few months after 9/11. The situation was exacerbated by the French crew monitoring international channel 16 not US channel 16. So they never responded to the USCG hailing them.