A new solar vessel that can theoretically be submerged and remain unharmed has been produced by repurposing a lifeboat that could originally accommodate 100 people.
Two British architects, Guylee Simmonds and David Schnabel,
recognized that the craft could be converted into an adventure
vessel that could explore the Norwegian Artic while offering its
occupants all the comforts of home.
"We wanted to experience a range of different cultures, different
approaches to living by the sea, different landscapes, different
climates. And if you are creating an expedition boat that will
take you 3100 miles up the Norwegian coast, your concerns include
a bit more of the finer things in life," they stated.
The ideas that the architect applied throughout the project were
informed by their experience in designing buildings, their
objective being to capture the views and bring the outside in
while at the same time keeping the Arctic conditions out. One of
the main conversions to the boat, which is named Stodig, was to
cut into its back to create a deck. They also made a wood burner
the focal point of the interior space to give plenty of heat and
they built a seating area that faced a friendly-sized kitchen.
They then added a large bathroom, two staterooms and two bunk
beds for guests.
The vessel's windows are a key feature: "We have an incredibly
light living space with big panoramic views out either side of
the boat. It allows us to experience the majesty of the fjords
and the mountains in a way that you rarely ever get to inside of
another boat," Simmonds and Schnabel explained. They built the
windows to afford an expansive view, and for ventilation decided
to have the lower section of the boat open and close on demand.
Water and weather are excluded by means of rubber gaskets.
One of the key innovative features of the vessel is its Sunflare
solar-powered system which fuels its operation and allows it to
run for long periods totally off the grid: the boat has 900 watts
of solar power and two 12-volt batteries on board. One battery is
for starting the engine and for cruising, navigation, and winch
operation while the second acts as a domestic bank, supplying 660
amp hours of electricity powering the refrigerator, the
composting toilet, the toaster, the kettle, the power tools, and
the crew's laptops. Stodig is 33 feet long, 3.5 feet wide and has
about 6.5 feet of headroom. The fiberglass of the boat is twice
as thick as that of a normal pleasure boat and the builders
stated that the vessel is unsinkable: the boat is designed to be
able to roll over and roll back up to the surface when fully
sealed.
The boat's first planned excursion, which will cover from 2200 up
to 3100 miles from the south coast of England to the Arctic
region of Norway, will take about four months to complete.
