It’s no secret that boats have been used by man since the dawn of time. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that wind can easily be harnessed for locomotion. It does take a genius, however, to create a vessel powered by waves.

In the next few weeks, a well known Japanese adventurer named Kenichi Horie will set sail on his wave-powered boat for a 7000 kilometer journey starting in Hawaii and ending in the Kii Channel in Japan. The 3 ton catamaran is fabricated out of super-thin recycled aluminum and can cruise at up to 5 knots. His trip is estimated to last about 3 months.

The Suntory Mermaid II propulsion system works by harnessing the power of waves via two fins in the front of the boat. Said fins act similarly to a Dolphin’s tail, moving up and down according to the waves, thus propelling the ship. If this little project still isn’t green enough for your taste, all onboard electronics are powered via solar panels.

[Via PopSci]