I'm working on the background for a fantasy novel I'm going to be
writing as part of NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org) the National
Novel Writing Month. Fifty thousand words, written in November. As
part of it, I'm trying to come up with plausible sailing ships for
various types of conditions. A friend of mine suggested replacing the
sails with windmills and using them to drive a screw or paddle. Does
anybody here know if this would work, and if not, why? If so, what
are its limitations.

Also, I need a reasonable type of ship for restricted waters (Adriatic
or Mediterranean type) that wouldn't work well on the open sea. The
tech level is roughly early medieval. I'm thinking of using the
classic Greek merchant galley, as it's nice and maneuverable, but
fairly frail; they had to run rope around the hull to hold part of the
strain. If anybody can make better suggestions, I'd be grateful. I
don't know how much, if at all, it will matter to the plot, but I do
want to have the background right.

--
Joe Zeff
The Guy With the Sideburns
If you can't play with words, what good are they?
http://www.lasfs.org http://home.earthlink.net/~sidebrnz

Joe,

It's been done, but you could exagerate the effeciveness.
link
http://foxxaero.homestead.com/indrad_007.html
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...aritimemuseum/
= look up Falcon
There have been other versions that also might be researched.
Matt Colie



Joe Zeff wrote:
I'm working on the background for a fantasy novel I'm going to be
writing as part of NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org) the National
Novel Writing Month. Fifty thousand words, written in November. As
part of it, I'm trying to come up with plausible sailing ships for
various types of conditions. A friend of mine suggested replacing the
sails with windmills and using them to drive a screw or paddle. Does
anybody here know if this would work, and if not, why? If so, what
are its limitations.

Also, I need a reasonable type of ship for restricted waters (Adriatic
or Mediterranean type) that wouldn't work well on the open sea. The
tech level is roughly early medieval. I'm thinking of using the
classic Greek merchant galley, as it's nice and maneuverable, but
fairly frail; they had to run rope around the hull to hold part of the
strain. If anybody can make better suggestions, I'd be grateful. I
don't know how much, if at all, it will matter to the plot, but I do
want to have the background right.

On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 22:52:50 -0400, Matt Colie
wrote:

Joe,

It's been done, but you could exagerate the effeciveness.
link
http://foxxaero.homestead.com/indrad_007.html
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...aritimemuseum/
= look up Falcon
There have been other versions that also might be researched.
Matt Colie


Excellent! Thanx. I'd imagine that the efficiancy depends largely on
windmill design and reducing friction. Even so, it's nice to know
they're practical.

--
Joe Zeff
The Guy With the Sideburns
If you can't play with words, what good are they?
http://www.lasfs.org http://home.earthlink.net/~sidebrnz

"Joe Zeff" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 22:52:50 -0400, Matt Colie
wrote:

Joe,

It's been done, but you could exagerate the effeciveness.
link
http://foxxaero.homestead.com/indrad_007.html
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...aritimemuseum/
= look up Falcon
There have been other versions that also might be researched.
Matt Colie


Excellent! Thanx. I'd imagine that the efficiancy depends largely on
windmill design and reducing friction. Even so, it's nice to know
they're practical.

That site has some great stuff on it, thx for the link, Matt. I see it is
possible but I don't know how practical it is. One thing I noticed about the
information on the windmill powered boat is that it runs best going directly
into the wind. My thinking is that it would be a bumpy ride most of the
time.

"Alan S" wrote...

It's been done, but you could exagerate the effeciveness.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.u...aritimemuseum/
= look up Falcon

That site has some great stuff on it, thx for the link, Matt. I see it is
possible but I don't know how practical it is. One thing I noticed about
the information on the windmill powered boat is that it runs best going
directly into the wind. My thinking is that it would be a bumpy ride most
of the time.

I visited the Irvine museum in August. Falcon is in poor shape, sitting at
the municipal dock, not at the museum itself. The museum itself is very
nice, with a wide range of displays, both indoors (especially in the
Linthouse building) and outdoors.