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Information Center
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The tractive forces are transmitted to the ship via a highly tear-proof, synthetic rope. The specially-designed force transmission system of the SkySails propulsion transmits the tractive forces of the towing kite to the ship. The system is customized for each ship.
The force transmission system comprises the following components: towing rope, force transmission point and winch.The energy supply of the control pod is ensured by means of a patented special cable integrated in the towing rope.The "force transmission point" - also called "tow point" - is the point at which the towing rope of the kite is connected to the ship.
The tow point guarantees the optimal alignment of the kite's power for every course and wind direction.The tractive force of the SkySails-System is directed to the bow area over the force transmission or tow point mounted on the foredeck. Generally the existing ship's structures are sufficiently dimensioned, since that is where the anchor windlass is also housed. The power transmitted by the SkySails-System is comparable to that of an ocean-going tug. An appropriate stability computation is made for each vessel prior to the installation of a SkySails propulsion.The SkySails towing kite is recovered and launched using a dynamically operating winch, which also serves as rope storage. The tractive force measurement is pre-installed in the winch. The winch speed is chosen so that the towing kite can be stabilized at any time when wind conditions are unstable. During heavy swell the winch assures safe operation during the launch & recovery procedure by means of dynamic sea-state compensation.
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 - Tow Point
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