Solar circumnavigation

[charmc]

Even more cool!

Two European teams are now planning to try and set world navigation records in a solar powered boat. The first team is from the United Kingdom, led by Nelson Kruschandl. His vessel is called Solar Navigator. The development of this project has been mostly in the backyard and on local waters.

The second and latest team to decide to go for it as of March 16 2006, are PlanetSolar, a Swiss/French team is made up of 15 persons, 11 concerned with the boat and expedition directly and 4 on a sponsorship committee.

Though the technology is similar, the designs use quite different approaches. In fact the Solar Navigator started out as a SWATH design, first exhibited at Earls Court in 1995. Since that time various wave piercing models have been developed and tested, the aim being to improve performance and reduce build costs. Both teams estimate similar travel times. One day it may be possible to travel around the world on solar power, in under 80 days. Jules Verne would have loved this.

[Kay9]

You can also Drift across the oceans. However if you want to do anything even remotly resembling work/fishing/going into sea's over 1-2 feet I dont think this is the answer.