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Cheap H2O commuting – with the Kaimaran

Published Mar 19, 2007

So far no vehicle or vessel resembling a ”water motor bicyle” has existed – but now it is here, and it is called the Kaimaran. This is an environment-friendly one-man craft, with extremely low fuel consumption and easy to handle. It can go from Stockholm to Vaxholm, and back, on just one litre of petrol (gas). To further enhance the environmental feedback the engine will be converted to run on ethanol.

The Kaimaran is 3 m long and the result of a joint effort among senior students at KTH and the University College of Arts, Crafts & Design, ”Konstfack”. What they had in mind was to build an environment-friendly water craft for shorter voyages in protected coastal areas. In this case the would-be commuter person is one who has only a short way to go by sea to and from his/her place of work.

What is quite exceptional about the Kaimaran is its minute fuel consumption. This is thanks to its design, which incorporates a kind of hydrofoils, resembling aeroplane wings, under the hull. As speed increases, these lift the hull completely above the water, thereby reducing wave resistance, and hence also the power requirements, considerably.

The Kaimaran was designed by students of Marine Systems and Lightweight Structures, KTH, together with students of Industrial Design at Konstfack, above. It was introduced at the Stockholm Boat Fair in March; a prototype craft will be completed by May, 2007.

Page responsible:redaktion@kth.se
Belongs to: About KTH
Last changed: Mar 19, 2007