The Hudson River today played host to Proteus, a new type of watercraft known as the Wave Adaptive Modular Vessel, designed by Marine Advanced Research, Inc, based in Silicon Valley. The configuration is something like a catamaran, but utilizes a new configuration with modular cabins that can be swapped out for different applications.
More importantly, unlike a conventional boat or ship, “She utilizes flexibility to adapt her structure and shape to the water surface. Instead of forcing the water to conform to the hull, she gives and adjusts; she ‘dances’ with the waves.” This from the manufacturer, who also says the configuration should be well adapted for environmental and other research purposes, given that the Proteus can reportedly cross the Atlantic on less than one tank of diesel.
Plus, she looks like a giant spider.
Interestingly, though the Coast Guard had been informed in advance of the vessel’s strange appearance, they dispatched a patrol boat just to make sure it wasn’t, you know, a bad spider.
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Image via Marine Advanced Research, Inc.