The Elizabeth Swann (above) is the 'Clean, Queen of the Seas,' in this epic conservation adventure where a humpback whale takes on pirate whalers, and lives to fight another day.

Clean vessels like this may one day ply the oceans free of pollution, addressing climate change to combat desertification and acid oceans.

The Elizabeth Swann is seen here with a wave piercing hull-form and active outriggers. The front cabin a helm with galley. A 2nd helm at the rear is an open cockpit for fine weather sailing. Unlike the PlanetSolar, the Swann is solar and wind powered. She has solar wings that track the sun and a wind turbine generator that automatically sets and furls according to weather conditions.

Material: 5083 marine alloy
Hull length: 43 meters
Hull width: 16.6 meters, to sponson outers
Central hull diameter: 2.46m (wave piercing hull subject to tank tests)
Target displacement: 30 - 35,000 kilograms

The current solar circumnavigation record holder, 'MS Tûranor Planet Solar' is a catamaran weighing in at 85 tonnes. She had four motors, two for cruising (7.5 knots) and 2 x 60kW units to give a top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). PlanetSolar has a 31 meter hull, 35 meters with the rear solar flap extended. Her Beam is 15 m (23 m with wings extended) The side wings on PlanetSolar were pulled out on rollers manually, using sailing winches.

We are not sure what Herman Melville would have made of the Elizabeth Swann, but we think he would have liked it enough to pen a few words about sunshine and the wind.

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