tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11496469.post112934031528026537..comments2024-01-14T16:40:11.474-05:00Comments on Zephyr (sail): Kiteship & Heavy MetalZephyr (Sail)http://www.blogger.com/profile/03550229698429834356noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11496469.post-1131820872688922032005-11-12T13:41:00.000-05:002005-11-12T13:41:00.000-05:00Wingsail, you've put some great thought into this....Wingsail, you've put some great thought into this. You've hit on most of the "showstopper" issues which have kept ship-pullers off the water since they were first seriously proposed 30 years ago. At KiteShip we have been working on precisely these engineering challenges, since 1978. We have specific solutions for each, and as money and interest have increased, we are putting them on the water, one after another. We currently are the only ones in the world capable of deep water launches, control and recovery of kites to 4,500 sq ft (a world record); we are just implementing non-crashable kites and we can't wait to take some big stuff out in really dirty weather to test survivability (we've had out kites out in 40-45 kts, but we need to see some really dirty stuff to feel really confident). Thanks for your interest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11496469.post-1129697686556382122005-10-19T00:54:00.000-04:002005-10-19T00:54:00.000-04:00Your questions are completely valid. I've experien...Your questions are completely valid. I've experienced sudden windshifts, particularly while sailing near the equator, but also in near subtropical depressions, of 180 degrees, in scant minutes, with little warning. Having that kite wrapped around the radar mast won't be fun.<BR/><BR/>I've also wondered about the case when the wind drops suddenly, or for some other reason, and kite winds up in the drink. That will be a show stopper, pulling it back on board in one piece, to say nothing of getting it off the prop if it is run over. <BR/><BR/>Finally, there has to be an upward limit afterwhich it has to be taken in; another big job.<BR/><BR/>My guess is that a few dramas of this sort and the whole proposition will begin to look a little more doubtful, after all, these ships run with a pretty small crews right now. Would a six or eight man crew be able to deal with these things in a pinch?wingssailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13170619136224079532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11496469.post-1129389523029127032005-10-15T11:18:00.000-04:002005-10-15T11:18:00.000-04:00The kite thing is real. There was an article about...The kite thing is real. There was an article about it in the Economist magazine back in mid-September. They were saying it's been discussed since the 1970s. They'd likely only put it up when they were running with the wind. Would save a ton on gas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11496469.post-1129381733602524442005-10-15T09:08:00.000-04:002005-10-15T09:08:00.000-04:00Awesome! Have fun...Awesome! Have fun...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11496469.post-1129341528346988772005-10-14T21:58:00.000-04:002005-10-14T21:58:00.000-04:00Going sailing on the Chesapeake on Sunday. Suppose...Going sailing on the Chesapeake on Sunday. Supposed to be 18-20 knot winds. <BR/><BR/>Woo hoo!Wicketywackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07261407121978995986noreply@blogger.com