Engineering:Alcyone (1985 ship)

From HandWiki
Short description: Experimental turbosail ship
Turbosail ship Alcyone in harbour
History
France
NameAlcyone
NamesakeAlcyone
OwnerCousteau Society
Port of registryLa Rochelle,  France
BuilderAteliers & Chantiers La Rochelle Pallice
Yard number1238
Launched1985[1]
Completed1985
HomeportConcarneau, Brittany, France[2]
Identification
General characteristics
Type: Research ship
Length: 103 ft (31.4 m)[1]
Beam: 29 ft (8.8 m)[1]
Draught: 7 ft 8 in (2.3 m)[1]
Sail plan:
Speed: 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph)[1]
Crew: 12[1]

Alcyone is a ship launched at La Rochelle in 1985 for the Cousteau Society. Alcyone was created as an expedition ship and to test the operation of a new kind of marine propulsion system, the turbosail. Alcyone's two turbosails augment its diesel engines. Since the accidental sinking of Calypso, Alcyone has been the Cousteau Society's expedition vessel.

  • John Denver wrote a short song called "Alcyone The Wind" as a tribute to Alcyone. The song was sung in the 1993 documentary Secret Societies of Dolphins and Whales.

References