Sailing To Corsica In An Airship By Wind Power Alone!

[ricki]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aéro...4252?ref=br_tf


Stephane Rousson is "passionate about extreme sports, Stéphane Rousson developing vehicles using low power systems or renewable energy." He has done just that for many years both in the air as well as on and beneath the water.



Stephane shown here going for a pedal aloft.
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Stephane's latest endeavor, crossing about 110 miles across the open Mediterranean Sea from Nice, France to Calivi, Corsica is explored in his Facebook page Aérosail. In the current instance, he will attempt the crossing by "sailing" via wind forces without active propulsion such as pedal driven propellers as in previous efforts. There is a well illustrated article on the project at http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/201...ane-rousson/#1



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The device is derived from a "Zeppy" which in turn was developed from the longer and usually much larger Zeppelin. The later device was created by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin of Germany in the early 20th century. http://bit.ly/1FPWjCq More about the Count and the development of his war machine at http://bit.ly/1BgzYaR



The first zeppelin flight over Lake Constance on July 2, 1900. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeppelin_LZ_1


He isn't planning to be totally at the mercy of the wind but to use it for sailing closer to the eye of the wind via the Sea Glider. It is a towable kneel while allows air vessels, from man-powered Zeppys to kitesurfing kites to grab a purchase in the water to make closer to the wind than possible without this moveable "air kedge."



Stephane's free body diagram illustrates the forces and movements involved in the concept. Without such an aid travel could be much further off the eye of the wind, complicating and perhaps delaying navigation for more favorable winds.
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You may recall Damo LeRoy using this device for extended "jumps" or more accurately extended kitesurfing leviathans at Old Bahama Bay at the Pryde Group Dealer Meeting last summer. More at http://fksa.org/showthread.php?t=12155




http://www.scubster.org/eng-home.html


Stephane worked on another man-propelled device for passage through fluid, this time underwater. More at http://www.scubster.org/eng-home.html The Scubster is a human powered wet sub designed for the International Submarine Race held in Maryland in 2011. Stephane acted as team leader in bringing this device into reality. I photographed and wrote about the first race organized by the FAU Ocean Engineering Department and held off Singer Island, FL in 1989. It was a fun concept and an interesting hands on project for engineering students from all over.


http://www.scubster.org/eng-home.html


There is a detailed PowerPoint presentation describing the wet sub at: http://www.isrsubrace.org/ppt/11th/I...duction_10.ppt

as well as other accounts: http://www.rousson.org/Stephane_Rous...ster.html#grid



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Good winds and all success to you in your crossing Stephane!



https://twitter.com/randisilberman


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