The Floating Living Island Project
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In The Future...

Roving Data Buoys as big as islands  will sail autonomously through 
troubled oceans, driven by new sail technology, powered by  natural 
forces, cleaning and revitalizing ocean dead zones and creating  habitat 
that nurtures sea life while communicating data back to land via satellite 
on the state of our seas. 

And I want to build the first one...

Th First Floating LivingIsland Project could look like a Giant Manta Ray.

Picture


 













Goal; 
To create a 5 year program That will result in an 
Inhabitable, Floating Science Island capable of navigating 
to Oceanic Dead zones, revitalizing them, and removing harmful plastics from Oceanic Gyres.
What Will The Island Look Like?It will Look Like a Giant Manta Ray. A true Island of approximately an Acre of surface area, including vegetation, 
habitation pods, and a central navigation pod featuring computerized Kite 
Sail and rudder control. A Tail of smaller islets will be drawn around to 
create a central 'Lagoon".  The Island can be accompanied by 
an existing oceanographic research vessel capable of maneuvering by towing and 
delivering supplies and personnel. 
This Model by 24H Architecture gives an inspiring impression of what the islands inner structure could be like.
What Will The Big Voyage be Like?The Caribbean Voyage is intended to 
start in the Windward Caribbean and 
sail along the island chain, providing 
regular opportunities for exchange 
of personnel and interaction with local 
cultures, educational, media, and 
scientific projects. 4 months in length 
beginning in December, the voyage 
will end in Miami  Florida.

What is a 'Kite Sail?"

Tethered flying Kite Sails operate at altitudes of between 100 and 300 meters 
above the ship and provide 5 to 25 times more power than traditional sails, 
while operating at the push of a button from an automatic control system. 
The towing kite is made from high strength and weather proof textiles and 
transmits the tractive force to the vessel via a synthetic rope. it 
provides its own energy supply to the control pod by means of a special 
cable integrated into the Towing rope. SkySails are 
manufactured by 
Zeppelin and have been used on cargo ships since 2006 to reduce 
fuel 
consumption by more than 20%.
In your drawing, what are the vertical "posts" beneath the  island?In order to navigate or maintain a relative position the island will need lateral resistance to pair with the Skysails so as not to simply drift down wind. Think of them as Daggerboards to help 'Steer" the island. 

What will the first years project be?
The First year project will include all 5 components of 
the Grand Voyage, but on a model scale. 
What are the cables dangling down beneath the island?Those are fiber optic sensors developed by Dr Eddie Widder and her group Ocean Research & Conservation Association
What other Floating Island projects existIf you search around on the subject you can come across any number of creative visions for Floating Islands. A while back Artist Daniel Oliva alerted me to the Open Sailing project of Cesar Herada. It has so many similar features to the goals of the Floating Island Project that the only logical choice is to try to work together for great success. Please check out the video below;

Design Elements Contributed by Engineer David Zinni
Food for thought: Although I haven't viewed any details of your drawing, it 
seems that something this size would require more than just the brm (bio 
remediation matl) to hold it together, and perhaps something  to provide 
additional buoyancy. Also, I would think that certain areas would require "solid 
ground" such as lightweight reinforced concrete to provide any necessary bases 
foryb buildings (even if they're small bldgs), roadways, walkways, and 
especially for anchorages of equipment, machinery, moorings of the island 
itself, anchorage points for external vessels such as large bits, bollards and 
cleats, and perhaps in certain perimeter areas for a "wharf" or docking area. 
These structural bases could be surrounded by the brm, and or they could have 
brm beneath them in some sort of matrix or cell structure within the concrete 
(in order to maintain continuity of the full biological filtration effects so 
important here). These concrete areas would also require additional flotation 
devices beyond just the flotation provided by the brm matrix itself. What I'm 
getting at is that you need some serious structural design and some serious 
buoyancy analysis for something of this size. This is not just a small floating 
bio island like the ones I've seen in the manf photos. I'm trying to say that 
ultimately youll need a naval architect, perhaps one who might work on a pro 
bono basis.... As a civil and structural engineer, I know a little about 
concrete, steel and wood timber construction. You will also need some mechanical 
engineering design to go along with the naval architecture design. A marine 
engineering designer would be appropriate for this. ...
This is especially critical for the propulsion system; being wind powered it 
will again require some brainstorming and serious engineering design by a team. 
This team may also include people who manufacture and use kitesails for 
instance. And there will undoubtedly be some "topsoil" and/ or sandy soil 
involved in this island if it is going to include any terrestrial plants. Even 
with marine plants such as mangroves at the edges, you need a good matrix of 
sand and some organic biomass for them to grow in. Given all of these different 
and somewhat incongruent features, the island needs both an overall structural 
matrix to hold it together, and then some strategically place structural 
components in certain areas as I mentioned above.  I'm somewhat familiar also 
with bio load, nitrogen cycle, bio waste processes, etc because this is also 
part of civil and environmental engineering. I noticed you mentioned microbes or 
bacteria that process nitrites into ammonia and or nitrate. You will require 
both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and the plants growing on the island will 
utilize the nitrate to thrive. You clearly want the island to provide a means of 
biologically filtering the water around and beneath it. So all of these things 
must be calculated by scientists. You have the right group for this part at nova 
southeastern. I've met some of them. I'm somewhat familiar with biological 
filtration systems  Lastly, I realize that your plan involves a 
scaled-down "model" version of the island initially. But all of these ideas and 
issues can be incorporated into the model with the right support (design) 
-people and funding.
What about a "Fresh Water Lens" Dave Zinni comments:
Freshwater lens will not work unless it has a man made containment  vessel to 
separate it from the seawater. Perhaps the brm manf  (manufacturer) or floating 
island company already have developed a way  to do this. But I haven't had a 
chance to look hard at their imformation yet.  The lens containment vessel could 
perhaps be made of a biological matl, even though it is man made. And the 
containment vessel could of  course be fully concealed -- that is, it'd be 
surrounded by soil, brm,  soil, plants, etc. I would think you'd want a 
freshwater lens to connect an exposed freshwater lake or pond(s) as well. 
Consider these related   tecnologiees: 1) the pond segment of the aquarium 
industry (many many  products and companies to consider); 2) a company called " 
Bio Walls"  that designs and produces living wall matrix materials (I believe 
theytr located in nj). Consider also that thete are companies that specialize 
  in living roofs for buildings. That is, roofs that are covered with soil and 
plants, as part of the "green building movement". All of these  things exist 
already, even if they are to date only being used in  "terrestrial applications 
". All of the companies that design and make  these products should be willing 
to assist you in your endeavor for  little or no cost (design hours and 
marerials provided at little or zero cost to your project.

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