Development of solar fishing boat for elderly people in inland sea

摘要

The rate of population older than 65 years old in Towa Town, Oshima Island in Inland Sea, is 49.9%. It is the highest rate in Japan. Most of those elderly people are working every day and many of them go fishing for a pastime in sunny days, they are usually called 'pension fishermen'. They don't need high speed and long distance run for their boats. We have researched and developed on the motor, hull and control system of the boat with solar energy since 1992. The advantages of the boat are no fuel oil, no emission of exhaust gas, and a little vibration and noise. This paper introduces that the solar boat is suit to the fishing boat for those elderly people and maritime and atmospheric environment.