From Wikipedia - Reading time: 5 min
Turbosail ship Alcyone in harbour
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alcyone |
| Namesake | Alcyone |
| Owner | Cousteau Society |
| Port of registry | La Rochelle, |
| Builder | Ateliers & Chantiers La Rochelle Pallice |
| Yard number | 1238 |
| Launched | 1985[1] |
| Completed | 1985 |
| Homeport | Concarneau, Brittany, France[2] |
| Identification |
|
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Research ship |
| Length | 103 ft (31.4 m)[1] |
| Beam | 29 ft (8.8 m)[1] |
| Draught | 7 ft 8 in (2.3 m)[1] |
| Sail plan | |
| Speed | 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph)[1] |
| Crew | 12[1] |
Alcyone is a ship launched at La Rochelle in 1985 for the Cousteau Society. Alcyone was created as an expedition ship and to test the operation of a new kind of marine propulsion system, the turbosail. Alcyone's two turbosails augment its diesel engines. Since the accidental sinking of Calypso, Alcyone has been the Cousteau Society's expedition vessel.