The PANGAEA - a green vessel

In all of Mike's expeditions, human power and natural means only, were the driving forces. In this expedition, not much has changed.

Motors: Pangaea's main 'motors' are 600m2 of sail. Yet because it must navigate the Polar Regions, it also has engines to travel through the sea ice -- but ones with low emissions, keeping true to the expedition's philosophy. For this, she was equipped for optional propulsion with twin robust diesel engines model Mercedes-Benz OM457LA, state-of-the-art in electronic management for fuel injection and emission control and which also comply with rigid standards for environment protection. The marine configuration of those engines was developed by Megatech in Brazil. These engines where integrated into the boat to maintain optimal performance and capability in confronting with the extreme environment conditions expected for navigation.

Recyclable Hull: Aluminum was the obvious choice for the main structure of the boat. Technically it performs very well in extreme temperatures. It is very light resistant and durable. Furthermore, aluminum is the most recyclable metal that exists. It can be recycled many times without loosing its qualities. Recycling aluminum uses only 5% of the energy required to produce it.

LED Lighting: Sharing the same vision towards environmental protection as Mike Horn, Hong Kong based company, OPTILED has partnered with Pangaea with their energy-saving LED lamps and fixtures, including LED downlights for general functional lighting, MR16 LED bulbs for accent lighting inside the boat and LED linear lighting for decorative lighting. OPTILED's mission over the past decade has been to find healthier and more environmentally friendly ways to illuminate our world. They share the same mission as Mike Horn and Pangaea, which is to provide solutions to protect the environment. LED lighting is clearly the future of lighting as it is the greenest lighting technology on the market, consuming less energy and creating less pollution. The products pose no risks of mercury poisoning or skin damage due to UV or IR lights and are enabling people to lead healthier, more enjoyable lives.

Solar Panels: Pangaea's boat is covered with solar panels. The surface area is large enough to charge the batteries of the boat. The storage of the solar energy is an advanced and complex system to install on a boat and this system is currently being developed, with the hope of a hydrogen fuel cell system being installed on the boat in 2010.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• pangaea
• sailing
• vessel
• boat
• green
• mike
• horn