Ive wondered about powering a ship from the ocean.

[stevensrd1]

If you stick two electrodes in salt water you get electricity. I wonder if there is a way to get that salt water pumped into the side of a ship,,then into enough containers with electrodes and get enough power that way to run it. I imagined maybe electrodes on the outside of the hull of a ship but then that might pollute the water with metals, so then I thought of the first part.

[iquant]

What about capturing Hydraulic pressure directly from the waves?

Relatively simple device...  Dual action hydraulic pumps mounted on both sides of your boat each with a 15' arm with a buoy.  Lower in water when you want pressure.. raise it out the way when you don't.

You should get 3000 - 10000 PSI pressure on each roll...     

Use the pressure to turn a prop or generator, desalinate water, as a ship stabilizer etc.

[Mungo]

I've been actively working to build one of these (see my post under salt water batteries).  I'm trying to calculate how many and how large a set of cells would be needed using copper/zinc electrodes and sea water at about a 30ppt salt concentration to power light marine electronics, some led lighting, and a 5 hp 12volt motor.  Would love some input.

[Mungo]

This link is to a 1954 article about an inventor who was working on this.  Haven't been able to trace what happened to him, the models, or the concepts.

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/boat-runs-on-sea-water/

[Mungo]

actually I've just done a first test on some of the seawater battery systems we've been messing with.  There's a discussion on said over at http://www.overunity.com/13671/large-salt-water-battery-ideas-and-questions/msg367679/#msg367679 on this board, and I'd love electric boating types to come over and give some feedback.