Project Green Jet - a vision of the future of sailing

Consider these figures for a moment, which we sourced from DK Technologies. In round numbers the worlds 90,000 vessel shipping fleet burns 370 million tons of fuel per year, which in turn emit 20 million tons of SOx per year, many times that of the world’s 750 million cars. Shipping is still the most deregulated industry in the world.

Roughly one third of the world’s cargo fleet is registered under open registries. Many of the countries that operate these registries do not or are unable to ensure compliance with even the basic standards defined by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Shipping companies register their ships in countries where they do not reside to take advantage of low registration fees and taxes, as well as low labor, environmental and security standards. This low-standard competition keeps costs down by externalizing them, but is doing the world an enormous disservice in the face of global warming.

Beginning in 1990 the Sulphur in diesel fuel for cars has been steadily and drastically reduced from 5000 PPM to 50 PPM now with a further reduction to 10 PPM from 2009. In the same period the shipping industry hasn’t done much at all, and remains by far the biggest transport polluter in the world with nothing planned to dramatically change things.

While we strongly believe it’s just a matter of time before the world’s public brings the shipping industry to account, what are the alternatives to diesel? Whilst the potential to reduce emissions from the existing diesel might slow things, sail power offers the most potential to dramatically reduce the maritime industry’s environmental footprint. Given its magnitude, swapping from diesel to sail power has the potential to wrestle back the initiative in making our environment sustainable for our children.

Advanced sailing technologies are only beginning to be explored but the future of intelligent sailing systems controlled by a joystick with efficient use of energy sourced entirely from the elements is already taking shape. Take a browse through the world’s most advanced builder of high tech, low-touch motor and sail yachts Wally, and you’ll see elegance and function and advanced design. Likewise new thinking is creeping in to every form of sailing endeavour, such as the Wot Rocket currently undergoing testing for an attempt on the world speed record for sailboats.

The Wot Rocket - supercavitation

The project is being funded by Wotif internet travel site founder Graeme Wood and is the brainchild of former-world 18 ft sailing champion Sean Langman. The Wot Rocket is part sailing craft and part sailing plane and it is as unconventional a sailing boat as you’ll ever see. It also looks to be capable of knocking off the current world sailing speed record, which has been the exclusive property of French sailboarders such as Finian Maynard and more recently Antoine Albeau in recent times.

The current world speed sailing record is 49.09 knots (90.9 kilometres per hour) while Langham is hoping to exceed 50 knots with the 40-ft canoe style hull. It’s all controlled with two tiny foils and a nine metre rigid sail, with an aerofoil leading to the aerodynamic pod for the crew who wear wetsuits and oxygen masks. The pilot controls the direction and the power of the wing, and the co-pilot runs the foils. As the boat gathers speed, parts fall off to reduce drag. The aim is to induce supercavitation at low speeds, allowing Wot Rocket to fly in a gas bubble created by the outward deflection of water by a specially shaped nose cone and the expansion of gases from its fin and foil design. By keeping water from contacting the surface of the body of Wot Rocket, this will significantly reduce drag and allow extremely high speeds.

...continued