W.S.N.C. SOLAR NAVIGATOR - Competition

The World Solar  Navigation Challenge

9. COMPETITION

Where the Solar Navigator team have developed the circumnavigation concept steadily since 1996, inevitably, we have inspired others to think on the challenge, and finally another team have decided they are up to the task.

Accordingly, in about 2005 a Franco/Swiss team named PlanetSolar announced they would be building a solar powered trimaran to attempt a world navigation. This revelation turned our project into a potential race, against which we suggest that our sponsors might offer an incentive to competitors with naming rights attaching.

PlanetSolar have adopted our route and their boat is not far removed from an earlier wave piercing trimaran design to our own, save that their wing height is raised to 6.5 meters above sea level.

To date PlanetSolar has received much publicity from the press, but as far as we know have not yet begun construction. However, their published timetable follows ours closely.

PLANETSOLAR SPECIFICATIONS

Length: 30 meters
Width: 16 meters
Weight: 10 tons
Solar panels' Surface: 180 m²
Installed Solar Power : 30 kW
Average Speed: 10 knots, or 18,5 km/h
Maximum Speed: 15 knots, or 27 km/h
Capacity: 12 people

http://www.planetsolar.org/planetsolar.en.shtml

Earlier this year a solar powered catamaran named Sun 21, crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Basel to New York via Miami, a distance of 7,000 sea miles in 40 days and at an average speed of 7.3 knots.

SUN 21 SPECIFICATIONS

Length: 14 meters
Width: 6.6 meters
Weight: 12 tons
Solar panels' Surface: 65 m²
Installed Solar Power : 10 kW
Average Speed: 5-6 knots, or 18,5 km/h
Maximum Speed: 7.5 knots, or 27 km/h
Capacity: 6 people  

Set against this background, there are a number of high profile world class sailing events in which a potential sponsor might invest to attain a suitable sporty adventurous association but there are none so far as we are aware that embody all of the principles that we outline in this plan.

To minimise the risk to our sponsors and in turn maximise media returns we have increased the solar panel area of the Solar Navigator.  We have also reduced the build costs by using subcontractors and simplifying the design, reducing the construction to a number of basic structures, which are then assembled to create the whole.  This approach has the net effect of reducing the overall price tag of the project – which means a sponsor’s money goes further.  

Although we have made every effort to keep build costs down, rest assured we will be using state of the art motors, batteries and solar panels (please see appendices for details).

Your investment now will enable us to begin construction of the vessel and gain a valuable head start over other potential contenders.  In return for immediate funding we can offer prime billing as the main sponsor, hence you will be seen to be taking the lead risk wise, which will further enhance your corporate image.

SOLAR NAVIGATOR BUSINESS PLAN

In order to view the Appendices and other confidential information, investors will need to complete a Non Disclosure Agreement, which is available on request.

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