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Completely solar powerboats are on their way to Maine waters

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Completely solar powerboats are on their way to Maine waters


On a windy day final week, a Maine firm made historical past when it launched a prototype of the first-ever utterly solar-powered powerboat on a Waldo County lake.

“I’m fairly blown away by it,” Dan Miller, the proprietor of Belmont Boatworks, mentioned Wednesday of the launch of Photo voltaic Sal 24 on Lake St. George in Liberty. “It was actually incredible. She did all the things she was alleged to do, and did it completely.”

The 24-foot passenger vessel is the primary manufacturing boat to be offered by Sustainable Vitality Techniques, a household firm primarily based in each Troy, New York, and Bellingham, Washington, that has accomplished pioneering work in solar-powered boats. Photo voltaic Sal 24 was designed by J.F. Bedard, a marine architect primarily based in Florida, and constructed by Belmont Boatworks. It’s the first of not less than three that the Maine agency will assemble, however Miller hopes that plenty of folks will likely be serious about Photo voltaic Sal.

“The purpose is to set as much as construct an infinite quantity,” he mentioned. “In the event that they promote, then we’ll carry the ball so far as it goes.”

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The boat, which is 100% powered by photo voltaic panels on its cover, burns no oil or gasoline, causes no water air pollution and generates little or no noise. It might carry as much as 10 passengers, although it comfortably seats six, and has a small galley and a head with a composting rest room.

Photo voltaic Sal 24, the prototype solar-powered boat that was constructed by Belmont Boatworks, can carry as much as 10 passengers. Credit score: Courtesy of Belmont Boatworks

“It’s just a little, open day boat,” Miller mentioned.

Photo voltaic Sal can journey at a gradual — although sedate — pace of about seven knots “all day lengthy,” Miller mentioned. When the solar dips under the horizon, the boat’s financial institution of batteries will take over. There’s sufficient energy saved in people who it might run all night time lengthy, simply at a barely slower pace. Seven knots is quick sufficient to deliver a ship from Belfast to Castine in an hour and a half.

That’s sluggish for a powerboat however quick in contrast with a sailboat, Miller mentioned.

“One of many issues that I feel photo voltaic expertise goes to do is sluggish us down,” he mentioned. “Our American want for pace might be going to endure just a little bit. This boat just isn’t going to be for pace boaters.”

Will probably be priced at $124,500, a determine that’s primarily based on what the prototype has price, he mentioned.

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“They’re popping out at a time after I suppose they’re actually, actually wanted, to counter local weather change,” Miller mentioned. “And now, gasoline’s actually costly, so it’s a superb time to have them round.”

David and Harriet Borton of Sustainable Vitality Options realized about Belmont Boatworks after they employed John O’Donovan, a carpenter from the Maine firm, to assist them with a special prototype.

When that venture  — a solar-powered  tour boat for the Hudson River Maritime Museum — was accomplished, the Bortons moved on to a brand new solar-powered venture with O’Donovan after which Belmont Boatworks. The boatbuilding firm started to work on the Photo voltaic Sal 24 venture about two years in the past, Miller mentioned. 

Provide chain disruptions slowed down their progress. Though a Florida firm was alleged to ship some elements and items within the spring of 2021, that by no means occurred. Finally Miller and his daughter drove south on the finish of December to select them up themselves, “simply to get the ball rolling,” he mentioned.

It made it additional particular for Miller that Photo voltaic Sal launched on Earth Day, one thing he has been celebrating for greater than 30 years.

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“The Photo voltaic Sal is not only for environmentalist weirdos and science geeks like me. She’s not only a technique to show some extent,” Miller wrote on his Fb web page after the Friday launch. “She’s actually a fantastic, environment friendly mover. She’s secure, comfy, properly powered and fairly … This expertise will help form the way in which leisure and business boaters work together with our oceans and our planet. ”  



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Maine

Denver beats Maine men’s hockey with late goal

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Denver beats Maine men’s hockey with late goal


ORONO — With two of the top three scoring teams in the country on the ice, of course a low-scoring game was the result.

In Friday’s matchup of top-10 teams, the first of two games went to No. 6 Denver, in heartbreaking fashion for seventh-ranked Maine. The Pioneers scored with 20.7 seconds left, on a shot from the point by Cale Ashcroft that deflected off the shin guard of Maine’s David Breazeale and past goalie Albin Boija, giving the reigning NCAA champions a 2-1 win at Alfond Arena.

It came after Maine (12-4-2) lost a faceoff in its defensive zone, then blocked the initial shot. For Maine coach Ben Barr, it was an another example of not doing all the little things in a close game against a strong opponent. In that regard, it was similar to Sunday’s 4-2 loss to Bentley in Portland.

“Our margin of error, and this has been for the whole time that we’ve been here, our margin of error is very, very small. When you play teams like (Denver), that one faceoff matters. It’s disappointing,” Barr said. “We just didn’t do enough to win.”

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Both teams are also among the best in the nation in scoring defense. Only Minnesota State allows fewer goals per game than Maine’s 1.76, while Denver (15-4) is tied for seventh in the country, allowing two goals per game. For most of the game, Maine’s defensive effort was strong. Denver went into the game tied with Minnesota as the top scoring team in the country, averaging four goals per game (Maine is third at 3.88 goals per game). While the Pioneers had just four shots in the third period, the winning goal came when the Black Bears couldn’t clear the puck, and Denver had scoring chances throughout the game that were the result of defensive miscues, only for the Black Bears to be bailed out by Boija (22 saves)

“Our guys played hard. We still have two or three players on the back end that are unplayable, and that makes it really hard on the rest of the guys,” Barr said. “They try, it’s just hasn’t clicked for them for some reason. We’ve got to help them.”

A captain, Breazeale agreed that the Black Bears need to do more.

“There’s definitely some good to take away from it. It’s just that last 1% that we as a collective team have got to take forward,” he said. “We made one block, and the puck’s bouncing around. There’s no excuse for it. We’ve got to be able to respond in those big moments, all five guys on the ice, and we weren’t able to do it tonight.”

Denver took a 1-0 lead with a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 2:53 of the second period. Near the left post, Carter King stuffed in the rebound of a shot by Aidan Thompson that ricocheted off the boards behind the net.

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The Black Bears tied the game at 18:37 of the second on Frank Djurasevic’s power-play goal past Pioneer goalie Matt Davis (29 saves).

In the third period, Barr shuffled his top two lines, moving wing Josh Nadeau to play with center Harrison Scott and wing Thomas Freel, while moving Ross Mitton to a line with center Nolan Renwick and wing Taylor Makar – a trio that played well together early in the season.

“We were trying to get Josh going. I thought he was a little stale in the first couple periods, to be honest. I thought he was better in the third,” Barr said.

Barr also moved Owen Fowler from wing to center, on a line with wings Anthony Calafiore and Nicholas Niemo. With captain Lyden Breen out indefinitely because of a leg injury, the Black Bears are short-handed at center, Barr said. Right now, he’s trying to find guys who can take draws and win faceoffs.

The loss stings, Breazeale said, but there’s no time to dwell on it. These teams face each at Alfond Arena again at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

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“We feel like we’ve got a lot to prove as a team,” Breazeale said, “and tomorrow night we’ve got to come out with that for 60 more minutes.”



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Ellsworth veterinarian to settle allegations over controlled substance storage

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Ellsworth veterinarian to settle allegations over controlled substance storage


An Ellsworth veterinarian has agreed to pay more than $145,000 to settle allegations that he violated the federal Controlled Substances Act.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency was unable to conduct several audits last year at Dr. Alan Toothaker’s registered location because of insufficient record keeping.

An investigation revealed that Toothaker maintained minimal oversight, had improper storage, failed to keep regular inventories and did not keep appropriate records.

U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee said the practice did not have adequate security or oversight, making it very difficult to determine if any substances had gone missing.

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2 dead and several injured in Southern California plane crash

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2 dead and several injured in Southern California plane crash


FULLERTON, Calif. — Two people died and 19 were injured Thursday when a small plane crashed through the roof of a sprawling furniture manufacturing building in Southern California where at least 200 people were working, police said.

The people who died were believed to have been on the plane, while those injured were inside the building. The deceased victims will be identified after officials have contacted the next of kin, the Fullerton Police Department said in a statement.

Eleven people were taken to hospitals, while eight were treated and released at the scene, police said.

The plane crashed less than two minutes after taking off from the Fullerton Municipal Airport in Orange County, located 6 miles from Disneyland, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

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Security camera footage from Rucci Forged, a wheel manufacturer across the street, shows the plane was tilted on its side as it dove into the building, causing a fiery explosion and black plume of smoke.

Firefighters and police arrived on scene and battled the blaze and evacuated surrounding businesses, Fullerton police spokesperson Kristy Wells said.

Chris Villalobos, an airport operations worker, came to the warehouse to see what had happened after receiving a phone call about a plane going down nearby. He noted the airplane’s owner was a regular at the airport and has frequently taken off from there.

“He has a hangar here and everything,” Villalobos said.

After taking off, the pilot told air traffic control he was going to turn around to make an emergency landing, but it was unclear what the issue with the plane was, Villalobos said.

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The building struck by the plane was occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to a sign on a door. There appeared to be sewing machines and textile stock inside.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident and identified the plane as a single-engine, four-seat Van’s RV-10. The National Transportation Safety Board said it also is investigating.

The airport in Fullerton has one runway and a heliport. Metrolink, a regional train line, is nearby and flanks a residential neighborhood and commercial warehouse buildings.

The Fullerton City Council posted a statement on social media calling the crash a “solemn tragedy.”

“The City of Fullerton is committed to providing support for all those affected and working with the agencies involved to uncover the details of this incident,” Mayor Fred Jung said in the statement. “We are grateful for the strength of our community and the compassion we show one another in times of crisis.”

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Another four-seat plane crashed into a tree a half-mile from the airport in November while making an emergency landing shortly after takeoff, The Orange County Register reported. Both people on board suffered moderate injuries.

Fullerton is a city of about 140,000 people about 25 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Copyright 2025 NPR





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