I recently saw the videos of an autonomous boat crossing the ocean. Seeing the little boat struggling among the giant ocean waves made me think. I had seen a toy car that could run upside down. It was symmetric and had no defined top or bottom. I thought about two autonomous boat designs that incorporated this symmetry.
The first one operated with solar energy using brushless motors. Its shape resembled two torpedoes attached side by side and covered with solar panels on top and bottom. The boat would have two separate motors and propellers. The steering would be done by differentiating the speeds of the motors requiring no rudders. It would be back heavy, ideal for a boat design. Long thin design would allow more surface area for the solar panels and reduce drag on water. Even if it would be turned upside down by a wave, it would keep going due to its symmetry of design. It may have a keel for stability, two at the bottom and two at the top.
The second design would be a sail boat with additional solar powered motors. It would have four hard sails around it. The hard sails would be fin shaped and would have multiple use. The one at the top would be directed to be used as a sail. The ones on the sides would be used to increase the horizontal stability of the boat. The one on the bottom would serve as a keel and rudder. All the fins would have the same shape and would be rotatable. Even if the waves turn the boat upside down, it would steel keep sailing. The main body of the boat would be like a torpedo to reduce drag and increase solar panel surface area. The boat would have a single brushless motor on its back. The steering would be done using the sail and the rudder.
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