Engineering:Alcyone (ship)

From HandWiki
Short description: Experimental turbosil 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 operated by the Cousteau Society. It 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 are used to 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