Wind Wanderer

A cloth sail was chosen for Wind Wanderer for versatility, economy and simplicity.  It propels the boat just as well as the rigid wing sails of our more expensive models, and will last more than eight months on the ocean.  For multiple ocean voyages, new sails can be purchased.

Absolutely!  It’s pretty complex creating a dashboard, tracker, etc. but if your class is really ambitious and guided by someone knowledgeable, you can simply purchase  the boat and install your own system.

The software/tracker subscription includes tracking, a dedicated online dashboard just for your boat (not shared) and met ocean data sourced from third party sources and displayed on your dashboard.  The tracker page can be viewed by unlimited people.  Widgets display information such as wave height, temperature, wind speed and direction, etc.  Note this data is not sourced from the boat, but from third party weather/ocean models for the location.  Location updates are provided hourly through the Global star network.

Yeah, it’s a little confusing, but here goes:  Unlike our other models, the boat’s course can’t be controlled remotely.  Instead, in its default configuration it sails passively downwind. When we say “passively” this means no controls (such as a rudder and servo) are required to sail this way.  With zero external input, the boat will remain on a balanced downwards course for eternity.  Sailing at this angle is optimal for simple ocean crossings, where the boat merely follows the prevailing winds.  The challenge, however, is getting offshore.  Let’s say, for example, you’re a school from Wilmington, North Carolina and you want to launch your Wind Wanderer from the beach and have it hopefully make it to somewhere on the other side of the Atlantic.  The problem, however, is often, in Wilmington, the winds blow parallel to the shore or into shore.  The more consistent NW blowing winds are further offshore.  So, to get away from the coast, going straight downwind may not be the best course of sail.  That’s where our unique sail control system comes in.  The sail can be adjusted to an angle that allows it to hold a balanced point of travel at a ninety degree angle to the wind on a specific port or starboard tack.  This allows the boat to make progress away from shore when the winds aren’t blowing offshore. After a set number of days, a small solenoid releases the sail and it shifts into position that allows straight downward sailing.  The operator of the boat can input, in advance of launching the vessel, the number of hours/days they want to hold the original sail configuration for.     

The boat needs to be launched from a location where it will be able to voyage into predominant prevailing winds and currents, away from the micro systems near shore.  In the northern hemisphere, prevailing winds and currents go in a large clockwise circuit.  For the Atlantic, the winds and currents flow east into the Gulf of Mexico, veer up the coast towards Nova Scotia, and then start curving back towards Europe again.  This means that once the boat gets far enough from shore it will be caught in the Gulf Stream and ultimately make its way east towards Europe.  For boats launched off the west coast of America, they will be swept south and then west, following a curving route towards Hawaii or French Polynesia before heading more directly west.  It is important to launch in a non-congested area where the vessel can make its way offshore without getting washed up on shoals, islets or other obstacles.  They can also be launched further out from a mother ship.