Added: 4 years ago
From: UpBeatnik
Views: 39,836
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:

All Comments (30)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • Because it becomes less and less efficient as the course becomes more upwind, you need to divide the fuel efficiency numbers by about two. Half the time, you're heading upwind. Still, it's an excellent solution, assuming it is durable.

  • Why mount a camera to look out for pirates?! Just hang a hot-seat onto that SkySail! Then the lookout could keep his eyes peeled for pirates while having a joyride!

  • par beta

  • Wouldn't it be more efficient to have the parafoil be black as to heat the air inside to make it lighter? I would this this would also help with the pitch and yawl movements.

  • bring back the windjammers!

  • They could mount cameras on the kite to keep a look out for pirates.

  • If one mast/kite can provide up to 30% propulsion, would having 2 or 3 of those provide 60% or even 90%?

  • @Rickdeckard2020

    They would get tangled! 

  • Sailing to Venezuela ( I saild it ) Is down wind al the way, what about the way back?

  • @ArubaSailing It's a hybrid system that uses diesel and wind power, just use diesel in a head wind.

  • That's German engineering.

  • Yea thats why KiteShip has gone bankrupt too. Get some infos on the Kite Technology and why it works better than the one KiteShip uses. Moron

  • Technological breakthrough!!! OMFG BRILLIANT

    you invented the kite.

  • The system would need more than 1 line attached to the kite, so it can steer and power up and down. It's a decent idea provided that computers can fully automate the flying of the kites, and that the kites dont lose altitude. Also they'd need to be much bigger than the movie illustrates.

  • it is big, but it is 300 meters up in the sky

    and so it looks smaller than it is, and it is steerable. On the 2 months (40 days on sea) maiden trip from Germany to Venezuela, USA and back to Norway the system saved fuel for about 15 000 €, so if the price for the system is 500 000 € the period of amortisation will be about 1500 days on sea,

    but I read somewhere the price is 420 000 €

    now, so as a cargo shipping company after 4-5 years you should gain benefit from a skysails kite.

  • Buuuut, a sail's lifespan is less than 4-5 years, especially for a parachute style sail which is flying 24 hours a day. I believe that the cost for such a mechanism needs to be much less than it is now for it to be feasible. If a kite broke off and was lost or destroyed, how much would a replacement be. I would guess (having sold sails and kite surfing kites) that the majority of the cost for such an item would be the winch/launch/navigation mechanism and not the actual kite?

  • The rig wil have a longer life thou.

  • Wrong...and wrong.

    One line is enough. Steering is done by a servo under the kite.

    There is no need for depower.

    The kites are over 160m².

    A 150m² kitegen will generate 3MW at 800m.

    Kiteves will use the kites to provide electricity insted of pull.

  • It's an interesting concept. I bet the initial setup cost is what will stop it from becoming widespread. Environmentally friendly technologies are out there, but the companies who develop them are more concerned about sales. What's more profitable: five people buying into this at a million quid a pop, or fifty at £200,000?

  • It pays for itself in a maximum of 3 years. Guarantee by the manufacturer.

  • @heavyweather

    The vid says 3 to 5 years and obviously nothing is guaranteed...

  • @2Firestarter2

    What vessel do you own?

  • The problem is that they won't use it to save fuel, they'll use it to go faster...

    Twats.

  • Wouldnt that mean that they arrive earlier, which means they spent less time at see....meaning they save fuel?

  • No. If you are faster, you need more fuel for the same distance - that's physics.

    Btw: nice idea!

  • The system even speeds the ship up when trottle is down.

    Yes it saves about 30-40% of fuel and makes the ship faster.

  • Say a journey takes 7 days and uses 7000 gallons of fuel.

    If you are faster with this kite that journey will maybe takes 6 days and you will use 6000 gallons of fuel.

    Do you save fuel with this kite?

Loading...
Alert icon
0 / 00Unsaved Playlist Return to active list
    1. Your queue is empty. Add videos to your queue using this button:
      or sign in to load a different list.
    Loading...Loading...Saving...
    • Clear all videos from this list
    • Learn more