Suntory Mermaid II
Kenichi Horie Completes Wave Powered Voyage!
05 Jul Wakayama, Japan - Kenichi Horie, YachtPal and venerable sailing adventurer, has completed his wave powered voyage aboard the Suntory Mermaid II. Small waves and opposing currents slowed the journey considerably, but Kenichi struggled through, and is now the first person to have traversed the Western Pacific on a boat powered by waves.
|
 |
Wave Powered Boat on the Pacific - Kenichi Horie
The height of the wave is approximately 1.5m. I have moved 30' west since yesterday.
|
 |
Sailor in the Spotlight - Kenichi Horie
11 May What would you do to help conserve natural resources? Switch to fluorescent lighting? Drive an economy car? Cross the Western Pacific alone in a prototype, wave-powered boat? While most of us would consider carpooling effort enough, Japan's most famous sailor Kenichi Horie is not a man with average limits, and he is slowly but steadily progressing across the big blue to prove the value of an untapped renewable resource: wave power.
|
 |
Kenichi Horie Wave Powered Boat - Blog
May 1 Midnight, the sky was clear and starry. From my right are the pole stars and above the horizon in my left is the Southern Cross. "Thank you everyone!"
May 2
|
 |
Wave Powered Boat - Blog
The wind is strong and the waves are high. My boat has recorded by multiplier effect a speed of 2.9kn.
Japanese-speaking broadcasts in Hawaii are slowly fading. I still can't receive signals from an AM radio station in Japan. How I wish I could hear a baseball game! I can't wait for one. |
 |
Wave Powered Boat Update
The green bananas I received on departure have become pretty ripe. Perhaps tomorrow is the last day they'll be good for eating. There's a lot left over though… I shampooed with salt water for the first time this voyage. It really does feel good, as expected. Today I saw a beautiful albatross. Lat: 22°01'N |
 |
Boating and Sailing Magazine Feed