Wind Powered Boat on the playa?

bridgedancer · Post by **bridgedancer** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:09 pm

Hi, my hubby's all inspired for creating an art car that's a large, entirely wind powered sail boat on wheels.

Anyone know if this has been done?

Thanks

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat Aug 30, 2008 11:44 pm

http://www.burningman.com/on_the_playa/playa_vehicles/

Kite-sailing vehicles, land yachts, and wind-powered vehicles that have a fixed mast and weigh more than 50 pounds are not allowed to operate within Black Rock City. You may take your wind-powered vehicle to the Black Rock Airport and operate/store it there.

It's impossible to brake or turn a large sail vehicle quickly enough to avoid running over someone or running into something. In 1998 this thing ran into a large piece of funded art & broke it, as well as throwing people off & injuring them.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sun Aug 31, 2008 8:50 pm

At one time sailed iceboats were the fastest machines.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:17 am

there are pretty strict rules against wind powered vehicles at BM because of the previously described incident (and others). Check the mutant vehicle section on the main site for the rules.

A wind powered vehicle is possible. A vertical blade setup connected by a clutch to a drive train (so releasing the clutch disconnects wind power), along with brakes, should meet the rules.

Remember though that some years there is very little wind....

Post by **mdmf007** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:08 am

gyre wrote:At one time sailed iceboats were the fastest machines.

Still are the fastest wind driven vehicles - crazy fast! 116MPH so says Wiki

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:46 am

What do they mean by fixed mast? Do they mean that a wind-powered vehicle with a mast that dismounts would be safer???

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:50 pm

A fixed mast is one that is stayed in place so that it doesnt rotate as some of the newer designs do.

Half way down the page is a description and picture of a rotating mast.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... image&cd=1

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:34 pm

Ugly Dougly wrote:What do they mean by fixed mast? Do they mean that a wind-powered vehicle with a mast that dismounts would be safer???

http://www.burningman.com/on_the_playa/ ... index.html

Wind-Powered Vehicles that Do Not Conform to the Wind-Powered Guidelines
Kite-sailing vehicles, land yachts, and wind-powered vehicles that have a fixed mast and weigh more than 50 pounds are not allowed to operate within Black Rock City. You may take your wind-powered vehicle to the Black Rock Airport and operate/store it there.

If this is the type of fixed mast you are questioning, it would mean any mast that stays upright even when not in operation (like a regular sailboat). The opposite of this would be a mast like on a sailboard, that is held upright by the operator such that the mast drops (and presents less wind profile) if the operator falls off or lets go.

my idea of a rotating mast would not be allowed according to these rules (except at the airport etc) because it is fixed upright. However you might be able to demonstrate sufficient control with a rotating mast design (that powers a drive train w/ clutch, brakes, etc) to get a special clause added. It could also probably be designed to operate as a windmill (charging a small battery) while stationary in neutral (blades still spinning with clutch disengaged, and a small generator running off that).

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:12 pm

mdmf007 wrote:
gyre wrote:At one time sailed iceboats were the fastest machines.
Still are the fastest wind driven vehicles - crazy fast! 116MPH so says Wiki

Yeah, still fast.
I meant the fastest machine on the planet, bar none, at one time.
Must have been amazing to see!