Auton: The autonomous sailing boat

[nabberuk]

Hi,

We're in the preliminary stages of planning a autonomous sailing boat that will attempt to be the first to sail across the Atlantic.

The project is a community based one and we're looking for people that may be interested in such a thing.

Auton's brain will be powered by the Raspberry Pi. I hope the forum folks don't mind me posting this on here.

Any questions please feel free to ask and if your interested in helping out,

Thanks,

Nathan

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

Sounds interesting. Any web site yet?

 

[nabberuk]

yeah sure, it's autonboat.com

Nathan

 

[alec_t]

Have you checked out other similar projects? A Google search for 'autonomous sail ocean' threw up several hits.

 

[nabberuk]

Have you checked out other similar projects? A Google search for 'autonomous sail ocean' threw up several hits.

I have indeed, It's the microtransat competition that it would be entering.

 

[nabberuk]

Hello,

We're in the process of designing an autonomous sailing boat that will attempt to be the first to sail across the Atlantic sea autonomously.

The planning stages of the project have already begun, but we're looking for some more team members in the electronic's/programming field.

If you'd like to join or read more about the project then please free to join us at autonboat.com

Hope you guys at Electro tech don't mind me posting this here!

Nathan

EDIT: Sorry guys, forgot i had already posted it!! That's what a hangover does to you!

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

I have wanted to computerize a real sail boat for years. The object being to make it as efficient as possible. One thing would be "Tell Tail" strips on the sails that when laying flat against the sail, it is trimmed right. That could be a resistive type of thing with a metallic ribbon. When wind presses it against the sail, there would be less resistance.
It would need sensors everywhere. It would require someone with deep pockets to pay for it.

 

[cowboybob]

Nathan, welcome.

As an unrepentant "motor head", I intend to follow your quest with rapt attention (I've registered at your site).

From my USN experience, I can't imagine a boat as small as you've described (1.5 meter, ≈5') becoming much more than, at best (you'll excuse my dis-belief), flotsam attempting to traverse the Atlantic.

But, just look at the plastic bottles (and other crapola) that has rolled onto the west coast from Japan's tsunami...

And as a modeler of steam powered vessels, I'm always intrigued by, and have dabbled in, the addition of RC and even more advanced sensors and controls to such craft.

Good Luck and fair winds.

 

[nabberuk]

thanks, it will certainly be interesting to see how it evolves.

 

[jpanhalt]

Be sure to set sail with several copies. That's what the RC modelers who flew across the Atlantic did to improve chances.

John

 

[nabberuk]

Be sure to set sail with several copies. That's what the RC modelers who flew across the Atlantic did to improve chances.

John

Would love to but i doubt funds will permit that.

 

[jpanhalt]

The expense is in development of the first boat. Try sailing across one of the Great Lakes (Are you in US or Canada?) or any distance of 50 miles or so. You will need some long distance trials before the big event anyway. Even Burt Rutan tested his airplane by having it fly in giant circles from the Mojave Desert to Bakersfield before allowing it to embark on its around the world trip.

Once you have that prototype built and working, what do you think copies would cost? Moreover, at that point, you could probably get some well-heeled sponsors -- Timex, Gatoraide, UnderArmor, Nike, etc. come to mind as companies that sell reliability and endurance. The servo and radio manufacturers would probably chip in too.

John

 

[nabberuk]

The expense is in development of the first boat. Try sailing across one of the Great Lakes (Are you in US or Canada?) or any distance of 50 miles or so. You will need some long distance trials before the big event anyway. Even Burt Rutan tested his airplane by having it fly in giant circles from the Mojave Desert to Bakersfield before allowing it to embark on its around the world trip.

Once you have that prototype built and working, what do you think copies would cost? Moreover, at that point, you could probably get some well-heeled sponsors -- Timex, Gatoraide, UnderArmor, Nike, etc. come to mind as companies that sell reliability and endurance. The servo and radio manufacturers would probably chip in too.

John

Sorry for the delay in replying. I'm from the UK, to test i'll be using a man made lake then we'll do some sea trials. I'm talking to companies to get sponsorship as we speak. Satellite communications is one thats sorted already.