Kite-flying to help save the planet
(Credit:
Kite For Sail)
The winds of change are apparently upon us, quite literally, where alternative means of transportation are concerned. Just yesterday we wrote of a flying boat to come out of Brazil, for example, and now we learn of a trimaran that runs on kite power off the shores of Hawaii.
We're not talking about ordinary sails here, but high-tech kites that "harness higher winds above the water, reduce wetted surface with a lifting force, and improve hull stability," according to Maui-based Kite For Sail. The system, which provides far more propulsion than conventional sails, is meant to supplement engine power to lessen the need for fossil fuels.
To prove the technology's worth, the company's founders plan to employ their technology on trip around the world for the next five years. We just hope that global warming doesn't ruin the journey first.
