I struggle with this whole article. It implies keeping a sailing ship labor intensive just with a few electric winches. Wing Sails seem like a better approach and I assume they are much less labor intensive.
You're spot on. I've followed this topic area for some years out of curiosity. Saildrone style wingsails only require a very small electric actuator to move a control surface. The control surface sets the overall net angle of attack of the assembly. The wing tracks the wind, only needing the control surface changed as the bow crosses the wind.
A system like this can be entirely labor free.
Tall ships on the other hand... I don't care how many electric winches you have, they'll always require massive numbers of people for sail handling.
A system like this can be entirely labor free.
Tall ships on the other hand... I don't care how many electric winches you have, they'll always require massive numbers of people for sail handling.