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 Suntory Mermaid II To Cruise From Hawaii To Japan Professor Terao of Tokai University’s oceanography department set off on February 18 to Hawaii with a novel type of boat - one that harnesses the power of the sea. The Suntory Mermaid II is a catamaran made of recycled aluminum that actually uses wave action to mechanically power the boat. According to PopSci.com, “Two fins mounted side by side beneath the bow move up and down with the incoming waves and generate dolphin-like kicks that propel the boat forward”. Other power needed for the voyage, such as for the navigation light and communications systems, will be provided by on-board solar cells. Not only does the boat make use of wave power, the technique also helps absorb the wave’s energy, making for a smoother ride.  “Waves are a negative factor for a ship—they slow it down,” says Yutaka Terao, an engineering professor at Tokai University in Japan who designed the boat’s propulsion system. “But the Suntory can transform wave energy into propulsive power regardless of where the wave comes from.”
(popsci)References: tsuneishi.co.jp, popsci 1 Comment: on Wave Powered Boat |
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