Solar Boat Crosses Atlantic Without Fuel

A solar-powered catamaran arrived in the harbor of Le Marin, Martinique, on February 2nd, making it the first motorized vessel to cross the Atlantic without using any fuel. Called the “sun21,” the boat left the Canary Islands 30 days before, managing to travel as much as 107 nautical miles per day, which rivals the speed of a similar-sized sailing boat. Developed and sponsored by the Swiss Transatlantic21 Association, the sun21 was originally scheduled to stop in Cape Verde, but after making good headway on their departure from the Canary Islands, the crew decided to head directly to Martinique. The boat will next hit several ports of call in the Caribbean islands before heading to Miami, Florida, and then proceeding to New York City in May.