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writing:nautical_solarpunk [2025/11/11 01:52] – created JacobCoffinWriteswriting:nautical_solarpunk [2025/12/04 14:58] (current) – [Other Wind-Based Propulsion Technologies:] JacobCoffinWrites
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 To allow them to enter these ports, modern sail ships might use lifting keels or have a flatter bottom, no keel fin, with daggerboards to provide that control while being able to lift up and cross into shallower water. To allow them to enter these ports, modern sail ships might use lifting keels or have a flatter bottom, no keel fin, with daggerboards to provide that control while being able to lift up and cross into shallower water.
  
-=== How tippy is it? ===+== How tippy is it? ==
  
 Motor vessels can make do with a higher center of gravity and much lower angle of vanishing stability (AVS). This is the point at which the vessel will capsize and stay inverted, thus sinking it. That’s because they don’t have sails making it easy for the wind to tip them. Sailing ships tend to lean more while underway, so they can’t pile containers as high. Motor vessels can make do with a higher center of gravity and much lower angle of vanishing stability (AVS). This is the point at which the vessel will capsize and stay inverted, thus sinking it. That’s because they don’t have sails making it easy for the wind to tip them. Sailing ships tend to lean more while underway, so they can’t pile containers as high.
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 https://en.rochefortenterre-tourisme.bzh/offers/iliens-la-navette-qui-met-les-voiles-quiberon-en-4652240/ https://en.rochefortenterre-tourisme.bzh/offers/iliens-la-navette-qui-met-les-voiles-quiberon-en-4652240/
  
-**[[https://www.bairdmaritime.com/shipping/dry-cargo/vessel-review-grain-de-sail-ii-french-transport-companys-cargo-sailship-built-for-trans-atlantic-crossings||Grain de Sail II]]**, a 24-meter, metal-hulled clipper ship with a 350 ton capacity, transporting wines, raw coffee and cocao following the trade winds. It looks somewhat more traditional in the rigging to me. https://graindesail-overseas.com/grain-de-sail-ii+**[[https://www.bairdmaritime.com/shipping/dry-cargo/vessel-review-grain-de-sail-ii-french-transport-companys-cargo-sailship-built-for-trans-atlantic-crossings|Grain de Sail II]]**, a 24-meter, metal-hulled clipper ship with a 350 ton capacity, transporting wines, raw coffee and cocao following the trade winds. It looks somewhat more traditional in the rigging to me. https://graindesail-overseas.com/grain-de-sail-ii
  
 **https://gosailcargo.com/ships.html** A list of designs for somewhat traditional (I think) sailboats designed to transport shipping containers, starting with a clipper and working down to small boats. I really appreciate the diagrams they provide with each ship description and feature list. I don’t think any of these have been built yet but they’re based on historical designs. I didn’t notice any mention of being able to lower the masts, but some other tall ships, like the USCG training vessel Eagle (a three-masted barque), have upper mast sections that can be lowered to squeeze under modern bridges so that might be an option. **https://gosailcargo.com/ships.html** A list of designs for somewhat traditional (I think) sailboats designed to transport shipping containers, starting with a clipper and working down to small boats. I really appreciate the diagrams they provide with each ship description and feature list. I don’t think any of these have been built yet but they’re based on historical designs. I didn’t notice any mention of being able to lower the masts, but some other tall ships, like the USCG training vessel Eagle (a three-masted barque), have upper mast sections that can be lowered to squeeze under modern bridges so that might be an option.
  
-**[[https://www.hrmm.org/history-blog/sail-freighter-friday-sv-kwai-2006-present||The SV Kwai]]** for an example of a motor vessel retrofitted with fairly traditional sails. This allowed it to visit ports that weren’t considered profitable for motor vessels. A reuse-focused solarpunk society might make a lot of similar retrofits.+**[[https://www.hrmm.org/history-blog/sail-freighter-friday-sv-kwai-2006-present|The SV Kwai]]** for an example of a motor vessel retrofitted with fairly traditional sails. This allowed it to visit ports that weren’t considered profitable for motor vessels. A reuse-focused solarpunk society might make a lot of similar retrofits.
  
-**[[https://www.sailcargo.inc/||Sailcargo]]** – a company operating a small fleet of wood-hulled schooners. They have a fair number of photos to use as references, including some clever solar panel placement.+**[[https://www.sailcargo.inc/|Sailcargo]]** – a company operating a small fleet of wood-hulled schooners. They have a fair number of photos to use as references, including some clever solar panel placement. 
 + 
 +**[[https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-polynesian-canoe-hokulea-50th-anniversary-5bd2ce68d790c81a3af43a42bffcc980|The Hokulea]]** - a performance-accurate waʻa kaulua, a Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe launched in 1975, best known for its 1976 Hawaiʻi to Tahiti voyage completed with exclusively traditional navigation techniques. Its twin wood masts are rigged either crab claw or Marconi style with a small jib and it's steered with a long paddle. It has no auxiliary motor. There are concessions to modernity though - elements of its construction involve modern materials such as  plywood, fiberglass and resin and it operates with a motorized escort vessel which tows it into harbor when necessary.
  
 **[[https://fairtransport.eu/en/onze-vloot/tres-hombres/|Tres Hombres]]** – about as traditional-looking as it gets – an engineless, wood-hulled brigantine made in the 1940s transporting rum, cocoa, coffee and olive oil. **[[https://fairtransport.eu/en/onze-vloot/tres-hombres/|Tres Hombres]]** – about as traditional-looking as it gets – an engineless, wood-hulled brigantine made in the 1940s transporting rum, cocoa, coffee and olive oil.
  
 **[[https://vega1892.com/historic-vessel-vega-about-the-boat/|Vega]]** – (a looks like either a galleass or a cutter?) built in 1892 and formerly used to transport limestone, bricks, pig iron and cement, it is still in use today, transporting free school and health supplies to remote islands in eastern Indonesia and to East Timor. More info here: https://www.hrmm.org/history-blog/sail-freighter-friday-galleass-vega-1892-present **[[https://vega1892.com/historic-vessel-vega-about-the-boat/|Vega]]** – (a looks like either a galleass or a cutter?) built in 1892 and formerly used to transport limestone, bricks, pig iron and cement, it is still in use today, transporting free school and health supplies to remote islands in eastern Indonesia and to East Timor. More info here: https://www.hrmm.org/history-blog/sail-freighter-friday-galleass-vega-1892-present
 +
  
 This is far from an exhaustive list, if you know of a cool ship or design I should include by all means let me know and I’ll add it! This is far from an exhaustive list, if you know of a cool ship or design I should include by all means let me know and I’ll add it!
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 === River Sailboats === === River Sailboats ===
  
-Here’s a few examples (real or proposed) which would operate on large rivers like the Hudson, hauling cargoes or passengers. (Here’s a neat worldbuilding idea I found in the IWSA Small Windships Publication – the term ‘Sail Freight’ is apparently more common in the US while Sail Cargo is more common in Europe – both terms seem to have gained popularity independently, but in the US it was mostly in the context of rivers and coasts while in Europe it seems to be more about ocean cargo. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for sail freight to come to mean transporting cargo on rivers (competing with trucks and trains) while sail cargo ends up referring to the ocean.)+Here’s a few examples (real or proposed) which would operate on large rivers like the Hudson, hauling cargoes or passengers. (Here’s a neat worldbuilding idea I found in [[https://issuu.com/international_windship_association/docs/iwsa_-_small_vessel_publication|the IWSA Small Windships Publication]] – the term ‘Sail Freight’ is apparently more common in the US while Sail Cargo is more common in Europe – both terms seem to have gained popularity independently, but in the US it was mostly in the context of rivers and coasts while in Europe it seems to be more about ocean cargo. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for sail freight to come to mean transporting cargo on rivers (competing with trucks and trains) while sail cargo ends up referring to the ocean.)
  
 **Schooner:** **Schooner:**
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 The Eriemax canal barge https://www.shipshares.com/Eriemax%20Final%20Report.pdf The Eriemax canal barge https://www.shipshares.com/Eriemax%20Final%20Report.pdf
  
-Known for its somewhat chaotic looking collection of sails, the junk-rigged schooner Summer Wind does tours of Baltimore harbour+Known for its somewhat chaotic looking collection of sails, [[https://tallshipsamerica.org/vessels/summer-wind/#|the junk-rigged schooner Summer Wind]] does tours of Baltimore harbour
  
-Like the ships, these smaller watercraft will likely need some kind of motor for tight maneuvering, emergencies, lack of wind, and to work as their primary power in some canals (similar to the old sail-driven canal barges (sailboats intended to lift dagger boards and drop masts when they get to the canal but able to operate as sailboats outside it). Perhaps these could even operate as trolly boats using overhead wires for power when they get to the canal so they wouldn’t require dense onboard energy storage.+Like the ships, these smaller watercraft will likely need some kind of motor for tight maneuvering, emergencies, lack of wind, and to work as their primary power in some canals (similar to [[https://www.lcmm.org/visit/lois-mcclure/history-of-sailing-canal-schooners/|the old sail-driven canal barges]] (sailboats intended to lift dagger boards and drop masts when they get to the canal but able to operate as sailboats outside it). Perhaps these could even operate as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_boat|trolley boats]] using overhead wires for power when they get to the canal so they wouldn’t require dense onboard energy storage.
  
 ==== Other Wind-Based Propulsion Technologies: ==== ==== Other Wind-Based Propulsion Technologies: ====
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 I left these off the list originally because I was focusing on vessels which could operate primarily by wind rather than relying on an onboard power source like hydrogen, oil, or batteries. But if your setting is rich with clean energy (or you’re writing in the messy transition to a more solarpunk world) then these have a few advantages over more traditional sails (which are probably why they’ve seen earlier adoption in modern-day shipping): they’re easier to use and they require less change in how the ship operates compared to sails. They require fewer changes in design (meaning they can keep building massive container ships on basically the same blueprints). Ships using these will sail more like a modern cargo motor vessel so they’re more of a drop-in upgrade rather than a major overhaul in design and operation. I left these off the list originally because I was focusing on vessels which could operate primarily by wind rather than relying on an onboard power source like hydrogen, oil, or batteries. But if your setting is rich with clean energy (or you’re writing in the messy transition to a more solarpunk world) then these have a few advantages over more traditional sails (which are probably why they’ve seen earlier adoption in modern-day shipping): they’re easier to use and they require less change in how the ship operates compared to sails. They require fewer changes in design (meaning they can keep building massive container ships on basically the same blueprints). Ships using these will sail more like a modern cargo motor vessel so they’re more of a drop-in upgrade rather than a major overhaul in design and operation.
  
-Perhaps your ships stop while underway at charging platforms powered by offshore wind or fuel up on hydrogen generated cleanly using electrolysis, or fill up in port as they would now. Or maybe they still burn oil. With that in mind, these alternative systems may save fuel/energy or allow the vessels to extend their range with fewer stops.+Perhaps your ships stop while underway at [[https://newatlas.com/energy/parkwind-offshore-charging-station/|charging platforms powered by offshore wind]] or fuel up on hydrogen generated cleanly using electrolysis, or fill up in port as they would now. Or maybe they still burn oil. With that in mind, these alternative systems may save fuel/energy or allow the vessels to extend their range with fewer stops.
  
 === Vertical Turbine Ships / Windmill ships: === === Vertical Turbine Ships / Windmill ships: ===
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 === Rotorships === === Rotorships ===
  
-Rotorships use Flettner rotors (huge vertical spinning cylinders with disc end plates) and the Magnus effect to create some kind of sail effect. Lift is generated at right angles to the wind, to drive the ship forwards. I think spin speed is used for control but I’m not certain.+Rotorships use Flettner rotors (huge vertical spinning cylinders with disc end plates) and the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_effect|Magnus effect]] to create some kind of sail effect. Lift is generated at right angles to the wind, to drive the ship forwards. I think spin speed is used for control but I’m not certain.
  
 In order for these rotors to function as sails, they need to be spinning, so the ship needs another propulsion source for generating that movement (though doing so takes less energy than moving the ship with a conventional propeller).  In order for these rotors to function as sails, they need to be spinning, so the ship needs another propulsion source for generating that movement (though doing so takes less energy than moving the ship with a conventional propeller). 
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 Current kite rigs can be sailed within 50 degrees of the wind, meaning they tack to go upwind, like a ship with sails. Kites can be adjusted manually or by an automated system.  Current kite rigs can be sailed within 50 degrees of the wind, meaning they tack to go upwind, like a ship with sails. Kites can be adjusted manually or by an automated system. 
  
-==== Battery ships? ====+=== Battery ships? ===
  
 Electric ships are looking much more practical than I would have expected – getting there seems to involve reexamining how we use ships, as well as adjusting to use battery tech that makes sense for ships (as opposed to cars) https://austinvernon.site/blog/batteryships.html Electric ships are looking much more practical than I would have expected – getting there seems to involve reexamining how we use ships, as well as adjusting to use battery tech that makes sense for ships (as opposed to cars) https://austinvernon.site/blog/batteryships.html
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 For river boats, there’s a very cool project trying to convert the fleet of diesel motor canoes used in the Ecuadorian Amazon to solar/battery driven electric systems: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/world/americas/electric-boats-ecuadorian-amazon.html (sorry I don’t have a guest link). For river boats, there’s a very cool project trying to convert the fleet of diesel motor canoes used in the Ecuadorian Amazon to solar/battery driven electric systems: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/world/americas/electric-boats-ecuadorian-amazon.html (sorry I don’t have a guest link).
 +
 +The [[https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringPorn/comments/1pcawqb/blue_marlin_becomes_worlds_first_solarpowered/|Blue Marlin]] is a partially solar powered inland cargo vessel which is covered in solar panels which help with directly powering propulsion. However it appears to be relying mainly on diesel generators. I'm not sure if it qualifies as a battery ship but that seems to be the closest category at the moment.
 ==== Other Solarpunk Ship Stuff: ==== ==== Other Solarpunk Ship Stuff: ====
  
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 This post is mostly about cargo but there’s a ton of sail-based passenger stuff out there. I’ve gathered a few examples and will add more as I find new ones: This post is mostly about cargo but there’s a ton of sail-based passenger stuff out there. I’ve gathered a few examples and will add more as I find new ones:
  
-A company called Star Clipper is operating three tall ship cruise ships, Star Flyer, Star Clipper, and Royal Clipper. These look like older style clipper ships to me so they might actually be using mostly wind. They seem to be very much operating in the cruise ship format, probably with some associated issues, but they demonstrate that passenger liners could still be viable (and can be quite comfortable) if a change in pace of life or available resources reduces the number of airplanes for that kind of travel.+A company called Star Clipper is operating three tall ship cruise ships, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Flyer|Star Flyer]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Clipper|Star Clipper]], and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Clipper|Royal Clipper]]. These look like older style clipper ships to me so they might actually be using mostly wind. They seem to be very much operating in the cruise ship format, probably with some associated issues, but they demonstrate that passenger liners could still be viable (and can be quite comfortable) if a change in pace of life or available resources reduces the number of airplanes for that kind of travel.
  
-Seacloud, another sail-based cruise ship+[[https://www.seacloud.com/en/seacloudspirit/The|Seacloud]], another sail-based cruise ship
  
-A company called WindStar Cruises also operates a series of cruise-ship-sized ‘motor sailing yachts.’ These have sails but I don’t think these actually rely much on wind, at best I suspect they’re closer to the cargo ships with rotary sails bolted on to save some fuel. One of the naval architects on reddit seemed to confirm this.+A company called WindStar Cruises also operates a series of cruise-ship-sized ‘motor sailing yachts.’ These have sails but I don’t think these actually rely much on wind, at best I suspect they’re closer to the cargo ships with rotary sails bolted on to save some fuel. One of the naval architects on reddit [[https://www.reddit.com/r/navalarchitecture/comments/1fvfaj0/comment/lrcua20/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button|seemed to confirm this]].
  
-There are also smaller crafts such as the 38-meter Schooner Mary Day which can carry 28 passengers. This may be duplicate with the schooner example from the Hudson above, but it still represents the potential for sail-based water buses on both rivers and coasts.+There are also smaller crafts such as the [[https://www.sailmainecoast.com/fleet/schooner-mary-day/|38-meter Schooner Mary Day]] which can carry 28 passengers. This may be duplicate with the schooner example from the Hudson above, but it still represents the potential for sail-based water buses on both rivers and coasts.
  
-River and harbour cleanup boats like Mr. Trash Wheel (even if you hope a more solarpunk society would have less plastic trash, storms and floods can wash all kinds of non-trash stuff into the rivers).+River and harbour cleanup boats like [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Trash_Wheel|Mr. Trash Wheel]] (even if you hope a more solarpunk society would have less plastic trash, storms and floods can wash all kinds of non-trash stuff into the rivers).
  
-There’s also the scaled-up version of those (though stopping plastic in the rivers appear to still be the critical part)+There’s also the scaled-up version of those ([[https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2023-03-17/ocean-cleanup-plastic-pollution-great-pacific-garbage-patch/102075810|though stopping plastic in the rivers appear to still be the critical part]])
  
-Magazines and publications with lots of good info:+=== Magazines and publications with lots of good info: ===
  
-The IWSA Small Windships Publication has tons of info on the sub-500GT range of smaller vessels including more info on most of the ships from the examples section (so it would have been really convenient if that was the first thing I found!). You can get a downloadable version here. Developments of Note lists a bunch of goo ships starting on page 10 and Sources for Vessel Plans on page 71 are especially useful but it’s all cool stuff.+**[[https://issuu.com/international_windship_association/docs/iwsa_-_small_vessel_publication|The IWSA Small Windships Publication]]** has tons of info on the sub-500GT range of smaller vessels including more info on most of the ships from the examples section (so it would have been really convenient if that was the first thing I found!). You can get a downloadable version here. Developments of Note lists a bunch of goo ships starting on page 10 and Sources for Vessel Plans on page 71 are especially useful but it’s all cool stuff.
  
-Journal of Merchant Ship Wind Energy – another industry magazine with all kinds of information you might need.+**[[https://www.jmwe.org/articles.html|Journal of Merchant Ship Wind Energy]]** – another industry magazine with all kinds of information you might need.
  
-Wind Propulsion for Ships of the American Merchant Marine (an older resource I haven’t read yet but am including for completeness).+**[[https://books.google.com/books?id=QxVUAAAAMAAJ|Wind Propulsion for Ships of the American Merchant Marine]]** (an older resource I haven’t read yet but am including for completeness).
  
-Cool sails!:+=== Cool sails!: ===
  
 https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/the-design-of-soft-wing-sails-for-cruising.49425/ https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/the-design-of-soft-wing-sails-for-cruising.49425/
  
-Dynarig sails if you want ultra-modern sailboats and ships (the entire mast rotates)+[[https://www.sail-world.com/news/235003/DynaRig-by-Southern-Spars-on-two-superyachts|Dynarig sails]] if you want ultra-modern sailboats and ships (the entire mast rotates)
  
-All the info you could want on the Indosail Rig+[[https://jacobcoffinwrites.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/6b109-indosailrigexplained.pdf|All the info you could want on the Indosail Rig]]
  
 https://www.junkrigassociation.org/photo_gallery https://www.junkrigassociation.org/photo_gallery
  
-Whale Safety+=== Whale Safety ===
  
-Whales are sometimes hit by ships (they sleep just below the surface and don’t know where human shipping lanes are). Some hulls are more dangerous to them than others. Ships with steep, sharp prows and bulbous bows are especially dangerous for whales. If you search for ship hulls and whale safety, you’ll find an unfortunate number of photographs of dead whales draped over those bulbs.+Whales are sometimes hit by ships (they sleep just below the surface and don’t know where human shipping lanes are). Some hulls are more dangerous to them than others. Ships with steep, sharp prows and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulbous_bow|bulbous bows]] are especially dangerous for whales. If you search for ship hulls and whale safety, you’ll find an unfortunate number of photographs of dead whales draped over those bulbs.
  
 One suggestion is to follow some cargo ferry designs and design the prow of the ship so it’s more traditional, angled forward so the deck is further forward than where the hull meets the waterline, with no bulb below the surface, and a much more rounded/blunt bowstem. This design will likely lose some performance benefits while underway but if it hits a whale I guess it’s more likely to sort of dunk them rather than to slam into them like an axe. One suggestion is to follow some cargo ferry designs and design the prow of the ship so it’s more traditional, angled forward so the deck is further forward than where the hull meets the waterline, with no bulb below the surface, and a much more rounded/blunt bowstem. This design will likely lose some performance benefits while underway but if it hits a whale I guess it’s more likely to sort of dunk them rather than to slam into them like an axe.
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 There are also ongoing attempts to map our whale activity and to ensure that human crews are both aware of their presence and actually making efforts to avoid them, but if you’re looking for visuals this might be worth considering. There are also ongoing attempts to map our whale activity and to ensure that human crews are both aware of their presence and actually making efforts to avoid them, but if you’re looking for visuals this might be worth considering.
  
-Lists of current projects:+=== Lists of current projects: ===
  
-This event has a decent list of current modern sail ships, from basically-modern-cargo-ships-with-sails-bolted-on to completely modernized 90-100% wind driven ships, to largely historical designs still in use.+[[https://www.windforgoods.fr/en/page/exhibitors|This event]] has a decent list of current modern sail ships, from basically-modern-cargo-ships-with-sails-bolted-on to completely modernized 90-100% wind driven ships, to largely historical designs still in use.
  
 https://www.wind-ship.org/archived-site/membership/ This organization lists its members, many of whom are related in some way to modern sailing vessels. Lots of good examples. https://www.wind-ship.org/archived-site/membership/ This organization lists its members, many of whom are related in some way to modern sailing vessels. Lots of good examples.
  
 As I said up front, I’m not an expert. If you notice any errors, omissions, or just have a cool link to add, by all means let me know! As I said up front, I’m not an expert. If you notice any errors, omissions, or just have a cool link to add, by all means let me know!