Piranha Boat is Faster, Lighter and More Efficient
The name piranha may bring to mind images of sharp teeth and frothing water before thoughts of speed, but a new boat may change that. The Piranha is an unmanned water craft that promises to be lighter, faster and more fuel efficient than other similar boats.
Designed by Zyvex Technologies, the Piranha is a 54 foot vessel made of nano-enhanced materials, which are significantly lighter than the more traditional materials used in boat construction. According to a report from Inhabitat, these building materials ensure that the vessel is "75 percent lighter, 40 percent stronger, and 400 percent more fuel efficient" than other boats of the same size.
The material used to construct the vessels is an advanced carbon fiber that has been infused with carbon nanotubes , so the entire boat weighs only 8,400 pounds.
Those materials also ensure the Piranha light enough to consume only 12 gallons of fuel per hour while cruising at 25 knots, while boats made with aluminum or fiberglass hulls would consume 50 gallons or more per hour at that same speed. As a result, the Piranha can travel up to 2,800 nautical miles without stopping to refuel.
Despite the lightness of materials used, the Piranha is just as safe as other boats. According to the Zyvex's website, "the materials are 40 percent stronger than metals, such as aluminum, which means that the weight reduction will not result in less durable crafts."
The company hopes that the Piranha may be of use in a variety of unmanned platform applications, such as anti-piracy operations, harbor patrol, and oceanographic surveying.
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