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.

Share