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There was a hydrofoil connection between Helsinki and Tallinn but they couldn't run in bad weather. There was also a water jet and a helicopter (that sadly cras

There was a hydrofoil connection between Helsinki and Tallinn but they couldn't run in bad weather. There was also a water jet and a helicopter (that sadly crashed). Only regular ships currently. It's about 80 km and quite a lot of traffic. A modern hydrofoil might be a great fit for this, and very energy efficient so I wonder if it could even run on batteries (like Candela). They're also planning a tunnel or hyperloop.

eesmith 4y ago
There was hydrofoil service in Hawaii in the 1970s. Here's a British Pathe video - https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA1SE53IIQRQ0OX28UCAGCB58J5-JETFOIL-HYDROFOIL-SERVICE-DEDICATED-IN-HAWAII/query/hydrofoils https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA1SE53IIQRQ0OX28UCAGCB... . https://www.civilbeat.org/2018/01/more-on-why-the-hawaii-superferry-flopped/ https://www.civilbeat.org/2018/01/more-on-why-the-hawaii-sup... says "This fast-ferry operation closed in 1979 due to the rough interisland sea conditions and related high maintenance costs. The three vessels were sold to Far East Hydrofoil to operate in the Hong Kong-Macao service on the inland waters of the Pearl River estuary."
- Gravityloss 4y ago
  What's great about watercraft compared to airplanes is that cities usually have a port right next to the center, while the airport is usually far away. A helicopter is somewhere in the middle, it can land to an industrial port or other area with less noise constraints. I guess e-vtol could solve that too if it's not too noisy?
  - mannykannot 4y ago
    Seaplanes are sometimes used in such situations, as in the area around Seattle and Vancouver (or perhaps, given the context, that should be the Puget Sound - Strait of Georgia?) My only experience with hydrofoil travel was from Naples to Stromboli. The weather was good, and with wave heights lower than the hull clearance over the water, the ride was smooth.
    - Gravityloss 4y ago
      Tallinn actually has a seaplane harbor, though it's a museum nowadays - Lennusadam: https://meremuuseum.ee/lennusadam/en/ https://meremuuseum.ee/lennusadam/en/
      - eesmith 4y ago
        I once flew out of Miami's seaplane harbor, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Seaplane_Base https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Seaplane_Base , to get to The Bahamas on an amphibious aircraft; one of these - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_G-73_Mallard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_G-73_Mallard . Here it is in action, in a Miami Vice episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LarDZa4qLnM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LarDZa4qLnM .
- jollyllama 4y ago
  As of a few years ago, there's still very little boat travel between the islands, specifically the Big Island and Maui. That channel is treacherous and storms can come seemingly out of nowhere. Here's one famous case of this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Aikau#Lost_at_sea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Aikau#Lost_at_sea

eesmith 4y ago

There was hydrofoil service in Hawaii in the 1970s. Here's a British Pathe video - https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA1SE53IIQRQ0OX28UCAGCB58J5-JETFOIL-HYDROFOIL-SERVICE-DEDICATED-IN-HAWAII/query/hydrofoils https://www.britishpathe.com/video/VLVA1SE53IIQRQ0OX28UCAGCB... . https://www.civilbeat.org/2018/01/more-on-why-the-hawaii-superferry-flopped/ https://www.civilbeat.org/2018/01/more-on-why-the-hawaii-sup... says "This fast-ferry operation closed in 1979 due to the rough interisland sea conditions and related high maintenance costs. The three vessels were sold to Far East Hydrofoil to operate in the Hong Kong-Macao service on the inland waters of the Pearl River estuary."

Gravityloss 4y ago
What's great about watercraft compared to airplanes is that cities usually have a port right next to the center, while the airport is usually far away. A helicopter is somewhere in the middle, it can land to an industrial port or other area with less noise constraints. I guess e-vtol could solve that too if it's not too noisy?
- mannykannot 4y ago
  Seaplanes are sometimes used in such situations, as in the area around Seattle and Vancouver (or perhaps, given the context, that should be the Puget Sound - Strait of Georgia?) My only experience with hydrofoil travel was from Naples to Stromboli. The weather was good, and with wave heights lower than the hull clearance over the water, the ride was smooth.
  - Gravityloss 4y ago
    Tallinn actually has a seaplane harbor, though it's a museum nowadays - Lennusadam: https://meremuuseum.ee/lennusadam/en/ https://meremuuseum.ee/lennusadam/en/
    - eesmith 4y ago
      I once flew out of Miami's seaplane harbor, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Seaplane_Base https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Seaplane_Base , to get to The Bahamas on an amphibious aircraft; one of these - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_G-73_Mallard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_G-73_Mallard . Here it is in action, in a Miami Vice episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LarDZa4qLnM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LarDZa4qLnM .
jollyllama 4y ago
As of a few years ago, there's still very little boat travel between the islands, specifically the Big Island and Maui. That channel is treacherous and storms can come seemingly out of nowhere. Here's one famous case of this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Aikau#Lost_at_sea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Aikau#Lost_at_sea