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Effortless Kayaking, Motorised by the Sun's Rays
Posted by Charlie White at 2:46 AM on November 28, 2007
If you're too lazy to paddle your own kayak, the solar-powered SPK-1 outrigger can harness the energy of the sun to get you on your way. Three big solar panels on this kayak-mounted attachment feed power to a silent-running electric trolling motor with 36 pounds of thrust. On the next page, take a look at a detailed diagram of the SPK-1.
The outrigger attachment, including the frame, motor, waterproofed battery in the flotation pod compartment, and solar cells with a 120-volt charger retails for $US1100. Or, you could just get a real kayaker to shoot some video of a kayak trip, and then just watch it in the comfort of your own home. Sheesh. [Solar Powered Kayak]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Judy Mahony
Posted December 1, 2007 1:48 AM
Tell me more about availability in Western Australia.
ideaman2020
Posted 3:17 PM 27/11/07
@ANoel: Oh, so now you're against my Solar AssHat[tm]?
ideaman2020
Navin R Johnson
Posted 12:57 PM 27/11/07
@Landor: You missed the part about "12V deep cycle marine battery" The panel are to increase run time I believe, not as only source of power.
Navin R Johnson
Landor
Posted 12:41 PM 27/11/07
1 sq. meter of solar cells
x
125 to 375 watts per sq. meter of solar power available (source)
x
15% solar panel efficiency
/
746 watts per horsepower
=
0.025 to 0.075 horsepower available
Let's assume the gross displacement is 300 lbs and the waterline is 12 ft. A displacement hull needs about 4 hp per ton to reach hull speed. This outrigger kayak would need 0.6 hp to reach a hull speed of 4.5 knots.
Looks underpowered for any real traveling by a factor of 8 to 25, depending on the weather, time of year, etc.
Landor
mouzard
Posted 11:57 AM 27/11/07
Huh, how do you paddle the darn thing when the energy is gone?
mouzard
omg-ponies
Posted 11:55 AM 27/11/07
Now we just sit back and let the current take us to land.
omg-ponies
yougottabekidding
Posted 11:23 AM 27/11/07
Cool I guess. Not sure I'd want to pay that much for solar panels and the motor just to put it on a kayak. I think I'd rather have one of those small motorized fishing boats instead. It seems to me that this defeats the purpose of a kayak altogether, that of being somewhat portable enough to hike it in and out of areas, along with the enjoyment and healthy exercise that one can get out of using it properly.
yougottabekidding
weatherman
Posted 11:14 AM 27/11/07
I'm not against people putting motors on things, especially when they're quiet and pollution-free. But the biggest problem I see with this is that it interferes with regular paddling. When it runs out of juice, it's going to be hard to paddle back.
weatherman
ANoel
Posted 11:04 AM 27/11/07
as retarded as a solar asshat powering a motorized skateboard.
ANoel
schrosa
Posted 10:59 AM 27/11/07
Cool.
schrosa
gokor
Posted 4:43 PM 27/11/07
@schrosa: No, no it is most definitely not cool.
gokor
Landor
Posted 4:39 PM 27/11/07
@Navin R Johnson: Whoops! You are correct.
Landor
skierpage
Posted 5:11 PM 27/11/07
@Navin R Johnson: But Landor's calculation shows that you'll have to leave the solar cells out in the sun for 25 hours to recharge the battery enough for 1 hour of motorized enjoyment.
Sunlight is free and plentiful, but very spread out. Curse you, physics!
skierpage