Mobility

Sailing in solar mode

A number of companies in our country are already running trips on boats powered by solar energy. An innovative initiative that, due to its eco-friendly features, is attracting more and more customers

Imagine sailing on a boat with only the breeze and the gentle lapping of the waves as background music. This is the simple yet highly innovative concept developed by Aquastart, a company operating out of the marinas of Cascais and Oeiras, where solar-powered boats have proven to be a real success. “We´re talking about a silent, non-polluting vessel and that makes people extremely curious”, reveals Rui Machado, one of those in charge at the company, which has acquired two of these boats, manufactured in Portugal by Sun Concept, a company based in Olhão in the Algarve. “The technology is 100% Portuguese, which should also be pointed out”, he emphasises.

The Sunsailer 7.0 model boats “are powered exclusively by solar energy” and are equipped with six panels designed to charge the same number of batteries, sufficient to drive the vessel´s two 6 HP engines for around eight hours, “even without any sun”. They are designed to deliver a cruising speed of 5 to 6 knots, “roughly equivalent to the speed of a sail boat”, Rui explains, while crewing the Andorinhas.

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In addition to the panoramic view of the beautiful coastline stretching down to Oeiras, what strikes you most is the almost total silence, unusual on this type of trip and impossible to achieve with other types of vessel. Indeed, this was one of the reasons that led Aquastart to acquire these models, designed with the conservation of coastal areas, lagoons and rivers in mind, where the noise, pollution and stress caused by boat disturbance result in the destabilisation and devaluation of the landscape and well-being. Besides being smooth and silent, they don´t emit polluting gases or leak oil, which makes them a safe bet, both with regard to tourism and the environment, as evidenced by the presence of similar services in a variety of places such as the Azibo reservoir (in Trás-os-Montes), the Maranhão dam (in Alto Alentejo) and the Caniçada reservoir (in Peneda-Gerês National Park).