Dutch former astronaut WubboOckels is getting set to circumnavigate the globe once again but this time over water in a revolutionary sailboat. Ockels is building an environmentally-friendly super-yacht, called  'Ecolution', which can spend long periods of time on open water and which is easy to sail. The ship will make its maiden voyage in August 2010.

The 'Ecolution' is the latest brainchild of WubboOckels, the Dutch astronaut, physician, pilot and professor who is well-known for his sustainable energy projects such as the solar car 'Nuna' and the electric-powered 'Super Bus'. The yacht puts a new slant on sailing because it uses all kinds of sustainable applications to make it self-sufficient for fuel and water. And it is made from state-of-the-art materials that make it lighter, faster and safer than traditional sailing vessels.

Ockels is building the yacht for his own use but he is also using it as a sort of laboratory for innovative solutions. Ockels' driving principle is that global warming should not restrict peoples' options to entertain themselves or to lower comfort levels. "Instead, if we do things in a different way, we can enjoy ourselves just as much, or even more, without burning massive amounts of fossil fuel," Ockels said.

Besides traditional wind energy, the Ecolution is powered by electricity generated by solar panels and by underwater propellors. This hybrid propulsion is unique. In winds of force 5, the propulsion power generated by the sails is around 200 kW. Each of the propellors can generate a maximum of 10k, which results in a loss of sailing speed of less than 1 knot, and even 0 know in optimal conditions. The generated 20 kW not only suffices amply to supply the onboard consumers, it is also used to charge the batteries. Calculations show that one day of sailing in favourable winds will produce enough energy to live aboard for four days without using fossil fuels.

The energy is stored in large batteries in the ship's hull which also serve as ballast. The battery bank can store enough power to live comfortably on board for a month.  Ecolution is truly an autonomous vessel. The ship will be less dependent on harbours for fuel and water.

Above all, Ecolution is a sailboat. The hull design was based on an existing 77-foot schooner developed by Dijkstra & Partners Naval Architects, which is rapidly becoming a household name in eco-friendly yachts and ships. The sail plan and rigging is a so-called 'Aerorig' system. The masts are made of light-weight carbon. The keel is a swing-keel specially designed or Ecolution. The shape is like a wing, about 5.5 metres long when fully extended.  When the keel is fully retracted, the vessel will be 1.90 metres deep. The ship also has two rudders at the far aft of the ship. They are so strong that the Ecolution can stand on them and the keel and 'fall dry' during low tide.

Sailing with the Ecolution will not only be easy, it will be extremely safe. Ockels has used his experience with the Space Shuttle to make a completely redundant propulsion and power supply system. If one component fails, the normal operation can still continue. This is achieved by the dual propulsion system (starboard and portside), and of course the sail power.

Ockels gained his appreciation for ecology by watching the planet from space. He realised that there is just a thin layer of 20 km of atmosphere between the Earth and space, where there is no oxygen and temperatures are more than 200 degrees below zero. Says Ockels: "It is essential for our survival that we take good care of our little oasis in space."

The Ecolution will make its maiden voyage during the SAIL 2010 maritime celebration in Amsterdam in August 2010. The ship will then be launched on the market.

More information:
www.ecolutions.nl