Winds aloft forecasts show that only 500 feet above the ground, once you get outside of the surface friction zone, winds often pick up to 25kts or higher. The idea is simple: take a sailboat and remove the sails. Attach a winch to the deck and release a massive hot air balloon thousands of feet into the air on a Dyneema tether. Adjust the altitude of the balloon to find the highest winds, profit. I picture teams racing against each other by inventing sail/balloon combos and tethers that could reach the jetstream.

Yes, steering might be an issue.
-- DIYMatt, Aug 15 2012

a rather picturesque version Spinnaker_27s_20Dream
[FlyingToaster, Aug 15 2012]

Does the balloon lift its own fuel tanks, or does the fuel line run up the tether?
-- 8th of 7, Aug 15 2012


//remove the sails// and everything else except the keelboard. Stick some sails onto the balloon, like petals on a daisy.
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 15 2012


Yeah, there would be trouble going upwind if you use a hot air balloon, but why not use a kite. Of course then you're just doing kite surfing on a much larger scale.
-- scad mientist, Aug 15 2012


In this context, kites are Baked.
-- 8th of 7, Aug 15 2012


got one of those <link>
-- FlyingToaster, Aug 15 2012



random, halfbakery