[ . . . catching up on backlog after EXTRO4 . . . ]
In a message dated 99-08-04 17:30:58 EDT, fm1@amug.org (Upgrade!) wrote:
> >http://www.freedomship.com/
>
> Also check out <http://www.buildfreedom.com/eco2.htm>. Latest reports
> I've received indicate a reasonable probability that this project will
> succeed.
I'm still fairly skeptical of this project. Comparing the size of this vessel to MAJOR marine construction projects I've been involved with, it seems like this construction would cost AT LEAST a billion dollars. It would be THE shipbuilding project of the decade, at least. I don't see the names of any of the major shipbuilding firms being advertised as associated with the project. (Of course, Daewoo and Hyundai might offer cut-rate prices these days, but you're still looking at high nine figures to get this thing launched.) And this doesn't address the basic design issues I've mentioned before: It seems like a multi-hull design would be right for a vessel of this size, rather than the "big canoe" layout that's depicted at the website . . .
Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
Attorney ::: Vice President, Extropy Institute ::: Wilderness Guide
http://users.aol.com/gburch1 -or- http://members.aol.com/gburch1
"Civilization is protest against nature;
progress requires us to take control of evolution."
-- Thomas Huxley