This video details an unconventional and humorous engineering experiment: attempting to propel a small boat using live fish as a renewable energy source. The creator outlines a meticulous selection process for ideal fish species, focusing on their power, resilience, and ease of harnessing. After initial tests with carp for their pulling power and developing a custom harness and a multi-fish "chariot" system, challenges in fish acquisition lead to a shift to the more powerful Barramundi. The climactic test involves attaching five harnessed Barramundi to a boat, which successfully, albeit slowly (max 2 km/h), propels the vessel for approximately two minutes before the fish cease swimming or escape. The video concludes that four Barramundi with a combined mass of 16 kg are capable of this feat.
Propelling a Boat with Live Fish: An Unconventional Engineering Experiment
0:00 The video introduces a unique premise: to harness the power of live fish as a renewable energy source to propel a boat, aiming to overcome the perceived tedium of traditional fishing.
0:28Fish Selection Process: The creator develops a "fish scale" to evaluate potential species (Marlin, Kingfish, Longfin Eel, Bonito) based on criteria such as power, slipperiness, ease of capture, and resilience. Carp are initially chosen for their strength, resilience, and abundance, despite their negative reputation in Australia.
2:00Initial Carp Pulling Test: After difficulty catching carp, one is obtained (from a "bogan") and tested, demonstrating a pulling force of 2.5 kg. The boat itself requires 2 kg to start and 1 kg to keep moving, leading to an estimation that five carp could effectively propel it.
4:09Harness Design: Initial attempts to harness fish using clamps or zip-tie based cat harnesses prove unsuccessful due to the fish's slipperiness or potential harm. A successful design is developed using fabric straps and zip ties secured around the pectoral fin and tail.
6:00"Fish Chariot" Construction: To ensure multiple fish swim in the same direction, individual guiding "shoots" are constructed from sections of sewage pipe. A test confirms this design effectively restricts a fish's movement to forward and backward. The full chariot is assembled with buoyancy noodles and a steering stick.
7:42Challenges in Sourcing Fish: The creator faces significant challenges catching carp via line fishing, leading to a decision to purchase live fish from a market.
10:21Switch to Barramundi: Disappointed by the weakness of market fish and advised by a koi farmer that carp are lazy, the creator shifts focus to Barramundi, travelling north to acquire five large specimens (3-4 kg each) renowned for their strength and resilience.
11:29Harnessing Barramundi: The process of acclimatizing and harnessing the Barramundi is described as highly stressful due to their sharp gill plates and the urgency required to return them to water quickly. All five fish are successfully harnessed.
13:38Boat Propulsion Test: The five harnessed Barramundi are attached to the boat. The boat successfully moves, albeit slowly (max 2 km/h or 1 mph). One fish slips out early, but the remaining fish continue to pull the boat for approximately two minutes.
14:53Performance and Limitations: Turning the boat proves difficult, and splashing is observed to encourage the fish. Over time, more fish escape or cease actively swimming, leading to the experiment's conclusion.
17:15Experiment Conclusion: The video concludes that it takes four Barramundi with a combined mass of 16 kg to pull the boat at a speed of 2 km/h for approximately two minutes.