Fuzzy Logic wrote:
A most peculiar catamaran:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/acoe/se...953686/detail/

Regarding the STRANGE CRAFT:

The well know multihull designer, Jim Antrim, has come up with an
innovative design--the world's first Whale Travel Lift (WTL).

The WTL, a silly looking 100-foot catamaran with 50 foot beam, will
cruise
coastal California with a purpose of hauling California Gray Whales on
their
annual migrations, long enough to get their "hulls" clean. It is
estimated the
whales will gain 2 knots speed increase without the friction caused by
the
barnacles rough surface.

During the ocean going "haul-job", optimistically estimated to take 15
minutes,
a crew will chip the barnacles, wax, and polish the whale as the vessel
proceeds
on a parallel course/speed to the main pod--while the whale lays there
placidly?
It is estimated the whales, will be able to increase their migration
spped over the
ground (SOG) to Baja Mexico and save about five days time which can be
spent
on mating activities at their destinations! I'm sure the whales would
like that idea.
Whoopie! Perhaps we should call it the Whoopie Travel Lift?

The WTL is hoped to increase the number of baby whales each winter by
10%, thereby restoring the whale population from any negative effect
they
have recently suffered in collisions with hi-tech racing yachts.
[Eliminating the
proposed "keel-ban" proposed by Senator's Boxer and Feinstein.]

Seeing how the pods are likely to travel at the speed of the slowest
whale, I wonder how this will work out. In any event, I'm sure the
whale
will appreciate the "hull-job", particularly in the sensitive areas,
but I wonder
if it might be better to leave them alone. Humans think they need to
interfer
with everything. Time will tell if this is a good idea or not.