This weekend, the TU Delft Solar Boat Team's newly designed solar boat will be put to the test. The boat will compete in the Dong Energy Solar Challenge.
Dutch astronaut André Kuipers christened the new solar boat on 22 May. After which it made its first trip thorugh the waters of Delft. As it immediately set a new speed record (24 km an hour) and the vessel is designed to even reach speeds of 40 to 45 km an hour, expectations are high.
After weeks of training, the boat will now compete in the Dong Energy Solar Challenge to see if these expectations can be met. The Solar Challenge takes place from 28 June to 5 July in the northern Dutch provinces of Groningen and Friesland.
Cycling Principle
The boat uses the cycling principle. The solar boat does not have a traditional rudder at the rear, but steers by twisting the forward wing. This system keeps the boat stable as the wings lift the boat from the water.
To prevent the boat from tipping over, the "driver" compensates the boat movements by steering, just like riding a bike. Sailing this way allows for extremely small wings and a water resistance comparable to a human hand in the water. This combined with a weight smaller than 100 kg, gives the boat a top speed of 40 to 45 km an hour.
In April, SWZ Maritime published an extensive article on the new TU Delft Solar Boat. If you are a subscriber or Nautilus/KNVTS member, you can read the article here
