At less than 10’, 400 lbs and traveling at speeds around 2+ knots , the Navocean is effectively a mobile buoy and is safe for use in near coastal areas where a larger faster unmanned vehicle would be unacceptable to the established boating community.
The Navocean uses a combination of proprietary mechanical and design features, high performance composites and carefully refined hull design to achieve durability and performance optimized for long duration ocean data collection missions. The Cuben Fibre sail cloth (first developed for specialized racing applications) provides the needed strength with very high UV protection. These are supported by an un-stayed carbon composite mast and streamlined rigging. The mainsheet is controlled by a custom designed winch made for low maintenance autonomous control. A high efficiency brushless motor drives a Kort-Nozzle style propeller configuration in a protective housing. The electric drive provides functional navigation in times of very low winds and for missions benefiting from a sail-free configuration. As solar and battery technology improve over time, the electric drive will increase its range and speed potential.
The Navocean is also highly scalable to larger or even smaller size.