National

Autonomous, Solar-Powered Kayak Adrift Off Nova Scotia Looking For Help

The Canadian Press, 23 Jun, 2016 11:44 AM

HALIFAX — An unmanned kayak, powered by the sun and the ambitions of two young engineers, may be taking a more leisurely route across Atlantic than originally planned.

The lonely Solar Voyager set off from Gloucester, Mass., on June 1 in a bid to become the first autonomous boat to make the transatlantic voyage.

But according to its Twitter feed, the sleek 250-kilogram kayak has become adrift off Nova Scotia's east coast after possibly getting snarled in fishing gear.

The feed says the project team temporarily halted one of its two motors Wednesday as it was headed further away from land, and that the other motor and rudder were not working properly.

The team, made up of two engineers now working in Singapore, says it's hoping fishermen on the Grand Banks find the boat and free it from the nets.

A post on Sunday described dragging that was so violent it blocked transmissions from the satellite modem on board the four-metre-long aluminum boat, which has two solar panels as its main power source.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Plaintiffs Ask Judge To Allow Patients Covered By Old Law To Grow Their Own Pot

Canadians who won the constitutional right to grow their own medical marijuana are going back to court to ask a judge to change the decision, allowing those excluded from an injunction to immediately start growing their own.

Plaintiffs Ask Judge To Allow Patients Covered By Old Law To Grow Their Own Pot

Unions And Families Call For Asbestos Ban: 'Why Let Proven Killer Walk Free?'

OTTAWA — Trade unions and affected family members say it's long past time to ban all asbestos products in Canada, calling them the country's number one workplace killer.

Unions And Families Call For Asbestos Ban: 'Why Let Proven Killer Walk Free?'

Relief As Lightning Storm Fails To Spawn Major Wildfires Across B.C.

BC Wildfire Service information officer Ryan Turcot says a storm Thursday generated about 1,500 lightning strikes but he notes people are still the cause of most of B.C.'s fires.

Relief As Lightning Storm Fails To Spawn Major Wildfires Across B.C.

‘Completely False And Unjustified’ Facebook Posts Cost Abbotsford Woman $65000

Abbotsford woman has been ordered to pay more than $65,000 after making unfounded accusations over Facebook suggesting her neighbour was a pedophile who set up mirrors and cameras in his backyard to spy on her children

‘Completely False And Unjustified’ Facebook Posts Cost Abbotsford Woman $65000

Police Shooting Kills Mother And Son Dead In Granisle, B.C., Sparks Independent Investigation

Eight members of British Columbia's Independent Investigations Office were expected to arrive in a northern village today to investigate a shooting involving police that left two people dead.

Police Shooting Kills Mother And Son Dead In Granisle, B.C., Sparks Independent Investigation

3 Arrested After Suspected Explosive Device Found In Vehicle At Sumas Border Crossing In Abbotsford

During a routine secondary examination at a crossing in Abbotsford, B.C., officials found what appeared to be a suspected explosive device and immediately called police.