this is legit great news. more big, fuel saving sails.
Me, a Hornblower fan:
why were sails ditched? I’m kinda curious.
Steam engine paddlewheel boats were faster on rivers than any sail that could be made with the tech of the time, and when people figured out to go with propellers under the water because it could be used at sea as well sails were phased out.
Faster and more reliable, eventually.
It is a little weird, with the benefit of hindsight, thinking about why no one figured “why not just use both?” when sails were being phased out.
At a guess, it’s extremely inconvenient. Literally twice or more the work in maintenance.
Yeah, I have to say, I think the whole “engines are usable at all times” kinda pushed for the sails to be considered obsolete. They aren’t obsolete, but I imagine that was the mindset that lead to them being phased out in industry.
It also means more route flexibility, once you work out the kinks.
I did not expect to learn this at nearly half past midnight, but here I am.
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