Imagining possible futures of transport has been part of our exploration of possible and preferred futures. So sail power for ocean research, transport and travel has arisen again and again. This talk explores some of those themes.
Until the reliability of coal and oil powered motors increased, the transport of goods across oceans, along coastlines as well as estuaries was largely accomplished by sail. The boats and ships that were used for this transport were highly refined, technologically developed machines for efficient and speedy transport. This industry has all but disappeared in the west. For a number of reasons, there is a strong interest in applying these ideas again, utilising a century of sailing technology development.
In this talk, we will look at some of the last gasps of sail cargo in the 20th century and its legacy. We will then look at the sail and other wind assisted shipping work that has arisen in the 21st century, starting with the Tres Hombres of Fair Transport through to the high tech ships that are currently emerging. We will look at some of the ships that are currently planned, stalled projects and perhaps even some of the ideas about what could be relevant locally.
This will be of interest for sailors, futurists and everybody who cares about how we get our stuff.