Also known as Uttarayana and when translated means 'to commence movement', this festival apart from its religious connotation and relation to the harvest season, marks the movement of the Sun from the Southern hemisphere to the Northern hemisphere.
All over Western India and other regions, people celebrate its significance by flying kites in all their livery and of different colors, shapes, sizes, textures and designs.
By now you might be left wondering why we are going on bragging about the sun, its movement, an India festival and KITES (!?!)...
Let's venture back to the waves and whales that have more relevance to us and see how an innovative use of KITES in our waterworld adds a dash of excitement and even profits...
KITES IN THE SEA...
The wind is a limitless source of energy that many have tried to harness and apply for making many tasks easy. Kites are an age-old sport invented in the East and has been used in recent times for many a specialised purpose.
The application of kites in watersports have invented sports never heard of before such as Kitesurfing (aka Kiteboarding) and Kiteboating. Slowly, growing in popularity these sports generate more excitement and attraction compared to the ones that they have originated from.
These special kites known as Power Kites are made in a manner to harness maximum power from the wind that is abundantly available in the coastal areas, and then with the help of laws of physics they are used to pull and manouver.
A kitesurfer or kiteboarder uses a board with foot-straps or bindings, combined with the power of a large controllable kite to propel himself and the board across the water. The sport is still in its infancy, but is rapidly growing in popularity. In 2006, the number of kitesurfers has been estimated at around 150,000 to 200,000 (a statistical testimony of its growing popularity and acceptance).
On similar lines, kiteboating apart from being a source of entertainment, is slowly finding larger application into the shipping industry and as effective method of cutting costs.
TOWING-KITES
Skysails, a German company that has pioneered the technology of applying something as simple as a kite to commercial shipping, is now offering a wind propulsion system based on large towing kites.
By using the SkySails-System, a ship‘s fuel costs can be reduced by 10 - 35% on annual average, depending on wind conditions. Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can temporarily be reduced by up to 50%. Even on a small, 87 metre cargo ship, savings of up to 280,000 euros can be made annually.
In 2007 the first SkySails-Systems with towing-kite areas of up to 320m² for cargo vessels, superyachts and fish trawlers will be available.
Virtually all cargo ships can be retrofitted with the SkySails technology trouble-free.
From the pace at which technologies are getting more greener and re-invetion of many technologies from the past to ease the ever growing demands of people, we at Giira Yachts feel that many such innovations such as towing-kites will gain more acceptance worldwide.
And it won't be too far that kites and the use in the waters are in the hands of the experienced Indian kite-fliers.
Wishing everybody a HAPPY MAKAR SANKRANTI....
