Kenichi Horie has made boats with solar batteries and recycled material and now the eco-conscious Japanese adventurer is entering unchartered waters — crossing the Pacific on wave power.

After years of preparation, the acclaimed 69-year-old solo-sailor is set to put into practice what he calls a simple but never before tested idea of relying purely on the power of waves.

His double-hull boat, named "Suntory Mermaid II," is scheduled to leave Honolulu, Hawaii, in March for the Kii Channel between Tokushima and Wakayama in western Japan.

The 9.5-metre (31-foot) boat should cover 7,000 kilometres (3,780 nautical miles) over about two months without a port call.

The boat is equipped with two special fins at the front which can move like a dolphin’s tail each time the boat rises or falls with the rhythm of the waves. The theory is that a vertical motion can drive it forward at a speed of three knots.

Source: Yahoo News