Wave-Powered Boat Goes Beyond Record

It won't take long out of the gates of Honolulu on Sunday for the Suntory Mermaid II to prove its maiden voyage a success, since the goal of the journey is to prove that a boat relying solely on eco-friendly wave power can operate outside the confines of a lab. It's also going for a wave-powered distance record, green or no green.



Though noteworthy, the Mermaid II's design is elegantly simple. Boat designer Ichiro Yokoyama eschewed the age-old, stick-the-propeller-in-the-rear approach and, instead, placed fins on the front of the craft. Power from the engine causes the fins to kick up and down through the water as they absorb the impact from the ocean waves. (Solar cells generate the power for the Mermaid II's remaining devices, such as a navigation light and satellite phone.)

With a top speed of 5 knots—just barely 6 mph—the engine isn't built for thrills. Unlike wave-piercing boats, which have a narrow bow that counters against wave resistance, wave-powered boats need to stay as wet as possible, which could be a barrier to increasing top speed.

And while the boat features a sail along with an emergency outboard motor, the Hiroshima-based boat builders of the craft, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Company, insist that neither will be needed while cruising.

A boat that moves at the speed of a brisk walk may not generate enthusiasm among recreational boaters or time-constrained cargo operators in the near future. On the other hand, the first airplane did travel at a hair-rustling 6.8 mph.