We followed this exciting scientific adventure, keeping our fingers crossed that the all alloy Mayflower made it to Plymouth, Massachusetts without any technical hitches. 

We reported on the facts with our own observations. You can find out more about this technical expedition the official websites (urls below).

Today ???? is the day that the Mayflower docked and tied up after a successful attempt at the first Atlantic autonomous crossing ........  We look forward to reporting on other adventures  of the IBM Mayflower as they occur ...... It has been suggested that following a successful Atlantic ocean crossing, that a world circumnavigation might take place.

TRANSATLANTIC EVENT CALENDAR 2021

The IBM Mayflower MAS 400 is an autonomous trimaran powered by a diesel engine, piloted by a solar powered artificially intelligent computer system developed by IBM called 'AI Captain.'

JOURNEY TIME

The original wooden 30-meter Mayflower took 66 days to carry the Pilgrims, Founding Fathers from the U.K. to what is now the U.S. The voyage would have involved a lot of tacking, because sailing ships cannot sail directly into the wind. But the new sail-less aluminium boat should take two to three weeks (14-21 days) depending on how strong the prevailing trade winds are.

MAYFLOWER PILGRIMS VOYAGE - MAS's direction of travel is the reverse of the Scout and Voyager autonomous Atlantic attempts that took advantage of trade winds. The Mayflower will be heading into prevailing winds. If sail powered, she would need to tack. But powered by a diesel engine, there is no need for that. Energy from nature is used to power the onboard AI and satellite communications. Any surplus could aid propulsion.

ROUGH GUIDE

@ 20 knots (480 day/ave) the 3160 NM journey will take 6.58 days (claimed top speed)

@ 15 knots (360 day/ave) the autonomous  attempt will take 8.78 days

@ 14 knots (336 day/ave) the voyage will take 9.4 days

@ 13 knots (312 day/ave) the adventure will last 10.13 days

@ 12 knots (288 day/ave) the voyage will take 10.97 days

@ 11 knots (264 day/ave) the trip will take 11.97 days

@ 10 knots the journey will take 13.17 days.

@ 9 knots (216 day/ave) the passage will take 14.63 days

@ 8 knots (192 day/ave) the journey will take 16.46 days

@ 7.5 knots the voyage will take 17.56 days

@ 7 knots (168 day/ave) the passage will take 18.8 days

@ 6.5 knots (156 day/ave) the advanture will take 20.25 days

@ 6 knots the voyage will last 21.95 days

@ 5.5 knots (132 day/ave) the voyage will last 23.94 days

@ 5.3 knots (127.2 day/ave) the trip will last 24.84 days (current solar powered record)

@ 5 knots (120 day/ave) the passage will last 26 days

LINKS & CONTACTS

https://mas400.com/

http://www.promare.org/projects/
https://newsroom.ibm.com/then-and-now