Solar Sails

[Cap Erict3]

UK POWERS FIRST ZERO EMISSIONS YACHT — UK Sailmakers

For the max solar area on a sailboat.

[SV DestinyAscen]

The technology is certainly awesome, but I'm really dubious about putting expensive electricity generating panels that are supposed to last basically the lifetime of your ownership on sails. Also I wonder if it'll discourage people from reefing early.

If the technology is there, I'd almost expect monohulls to come out of the boatyard with shaped panels along the hull in a couple of years.

[Cap Erict3]

Reading some of the testing done, they were reefed the majority of the time due to inclement weather and removed the panels when the sails were down to use at anchor.

Early stages of small boat development but I thought it might interest those looking for quiet power.

[dlymn]

people are trialling panels to go on roads. if they were non slip, they might be good on decks