Kite For Sail
March 9th, 2010 | 
Author:
2007 Hawaii news report
Kite For Sail technology provides a direct towing force and offers the best possible renewable energy system for modern marine vessels. Furthermore, the Hawaiian Islands offer ideal wind conditions and a maritime industry that can effectively utilize the kite sail for fuel, emissions and cost reduction.
During optimal conditions the kite sail can reduce fuel use by up to 50 percent. From tug & barge, freighter and container ships—kite sails can be used to retain millions of dollars in the local economy, reduce greenhouse emissions and global warming and create new green jobs in the state of Hawaii.
The kite sail is deployed in favorable conditions with wind above 10 knots. After deployment is initiated the kite sail unfurls and ascends to higher altitude where stronger and more consistent winds prevail.
Retrieval is preformed in reverse order of deployment. A specialized winch winds up the control lines and the kite sail is stowed away.
During low wind and unfavorable conditions the kite sail remains in a compact storage compartment. The Kite For Sail system now offers shipping companies a competitive advantage to reduce fuel costs and emissions. Systems can pay for themselves after 2 to 5 years depending on the cost of fuel, wind conditions and operable courses.
Hawaiis history is inextricably linked to maritime exploration and innovation. Hawaiian legend even tells of the great demi-god Maui using a giant kite to pull his double hulled canoe on voyages throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Sometimes, in order to move forward, we must return to the ideas of the past. Present day economic and environmental factors justify the adoption of Kite For Sail technology for worldwide maritime transportation.
Duration : 0:2:59
Posted in hawaiian islands | 
Tags: container ship, freighter, Hawaii, kite boat, kite ship, tug and barge
This is not a new …
This is not a new invention by these people. Many others had made homebuilts, and Petet Lynn Kites has had a commercial one in Australia for several years. SkySails (as someone referenced) has huge ones for racing yachts, right up to oil tankers. But “don’t anyone else try it yet” (until we get our patent, ha ha)
A kite-sail can …
A kite-sail can pull a vessel through all courses up to 45 degrees into the wind. The boat will stall out and loose speed if the vessel veers above 45 degrees. The kite will only stall if the apparent wind speed drops below the stall speed of the kite.
Pretty cool.
How …
Pretty cool.
How far can you go up to the wind before the kite stalls ?
The kites for …
The kites for barges are one football field in length.
It’s kind of an …
It’s kind of an obvious idea. I saw kite boarders on the lake and thought it would be a great way to pull my inflatable kayak. It’s the same kind of kite.
If you launch a …
If you launch a large kite the hull will easily out perform the conventional setup on all courses off the wind and to windward.
i doubt it would go …
i doubt it would go thaat great to windward hahahaha
oh wells!
im supprised how well it gets the boat going thoguh, sailed on them a fair bit and sure sits a lot better with the kite.
Yea, SkySails just …
Yea, SkySails just made a trip from Europe to Venezuela, with its computer steered kite attached to a cargo-ship.
I am continually …
I am continually amazed at how much power is in the wind. I wonder how many thousands of horepower those tall ships would reap from the wind?
Keep it up.
Your invention looks spectacular!
The barge uses a …
The barge uses a big sail indeed. A company called skysail has deployed a 150 square meter kite onto a cargo ship. The kite in this video is approx 18 square meters.
i think a barge is …
i think a barge is going to need a very very big sail ha? i wonder if this would really work on a commercial scale. looks like a lot of fun though…