This is what I was thinking, but since my thermodynamics training is
insufficient, I'd like to enlist your help.
Besides your technical expertise (sorry I can't say the same for your
political judgement) you're down there where the water is warm.
What we need is a heat extraction process that will at least add
locomotion power to a boat.
Start small, with a small boat as the initial target. Don't worry
about speed for now, just get the extraction process working so it
show a power gain after start-up.
There's got to be a way to make use of the seawater heat.
If you get this going, you can make a bundle and be the hero of
boaters everywhere.
It goes without saying you have to think out of the box.
(I'm writing this, so technically I didn't say that.)
On the off chance you can't get a solution worked out, I've
got another idea which makes use of wind and cloth.
But that's low-hanging fruit, and I prefer to think big for now.
What say you?

--Vic