Solar powered cat - design brief

[sarabande]

I have work connections with a company producing solar panels (PV). Recent posts about pontoon boats and the PV Island Cat have triggered a thought.

Is there a place in the market for a British-built solar power assisted cat, possibly with a stick or two ?

The concept is similar to that of the old Catfisher,

but with improved hull design.

Anyone interested in joining in a SIG (Special Interest Group) to consider the design and production of Sunfisher (Regd TM !!!) ?

 

[Guest]

A CAT would be ideal. Two brushless electric drives. But would you be going for movable Arrays or flat deck solar panels. Then there is always the new solar film they are producing, laminated to the sail material.

Anyway it is already in action in Sydney harbour. The wind solar ferry. The problem would be the compromise of battery weight and the CAT performance.

I also remember a guy with a CAT that was sending his wife around the world with 1 pair of knickers only. What happened to him?

You would need either a large battery bank, to even the demand, or a backup generator that could supply the full performance. Or will it be a pure green design made of recycled car tyres!

You are also in the wrong country. The UK strength is in its variable direction winds. You only have to wait so long before you can go the other way. In the Caribbean the trade winds are seasonal. The Med is a much better base, some where around the Corinth Canal or even Gib.

Then I might be interested! But one thing is certain after the last 2 years I will not be building my company in the UK anywhere past the research stage.

 

[wooslehunter]

There's one operating in Chichester Harbour doing tourist tours. If you go on the conservancy web site, you may find some details of who built her and be able to get some pointers from them.

 

[aran01]

Well the Swiss being a seafaring nation have done it already , even crossed the big pond with it.... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
See here http://www.transatlantic21.org/

 

[sarabande]

That will save me a lot of preliminary research. Many thanks

 

[JackIron]

Try going here -

http://www.derickreynolds.co.uk/motorboats.htm

Rgds
JackIron