Hybrid Research Vessel I've tried to promote this idea of a research sailing/motoring vessel as well with my motorsailing/gamefishing design. Here is a portion of an introductory proposal I wrote: "Our oceans are a precious resource, even beyond our own imagination. We need more qualified academics in pure oceanography, in contrast to those drawn away into military weapons development or searching/developing oil resources in our seas. We need to get more kids excited about ocean studies....initiate and perpetuate their interest. There are no Jacques Cousteau programs as there were in my youth. We need some training & introductory vessels for these students, and I think a few of them require a romantic image in order to lure some of these young people aboard. SAIL is one answer. I have over the past couple of years been in search of a client to build a very unique sail-powered, world- capable, gamefishing vessel. In reality I would much rather see such a vessel utilized as a fisheries research vessel, per the brief references on my website and a number of letter/proposals I have generated in search of that patriarchal owner/donor. In my letter to Netscape's Jim Clark I suggest that the creation of this vessel should be an exceptionally fun & exciting project. And then most rewarding, the placement of this vessel into a foundation organization for the use of a consortium of schools with ocean programs. I specified 'consortium' such that any one school is not over burdened with the whole of the expenses nor the demands of operating their own vessel, such as might occur when a private vessel is donated to a specific school" <http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/4907-post11.html> <http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/25783-post21.html> Ltr to the Editor of Professional BoatBuilder Magazine <http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/32951-post34.html>