Re:Largest Cargo Sailboat Completes Historic First Atlantic ...
by mmooss on Sunday November 09, 2025 @10:29PM
(#45872070)
It's not one or the other; we can build vessels with sails and 'steam'.
> There's a reason everyone switched from sail to steam.
One reason was, they thought the climate impact cost zero. Also, technology was much different then.
But wind's biggest downside, besides it sometimes being too strong, is it can completely stop. That and the complexity of sails, and its potential for failure, would probably not make it economically viable. Even if it was technically cheaper, the inconsistency and potentially poor performance would lead customers to continue chartering motorized vessels. There's a reason everyone switched from sail to steam.