Great engineering is built together
.jpg "Sam Davey (student RMIT).")
.jpeg "Toby St John (intern from UNSW).")
.jpg "Vicki Jacob")
.jpg)
.png)
Every successful engineering project is built on collaboration.The Wingship Development Program brings together people with different skills, experience and perspectives, united by a common goal — developing practical wind-assisted propulsion for the future of marine transport.Our project draws upon expertise from engineering, naval architecture, software development, composite manufacturing, marine operations and academic research.
University partnershipsOur University partnerships have provided valuable independent investigations into aerodynamics, structural analysis and composite engineering. These collaborations have included;
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)Internship.Sam Davey, an RMIT final year student completed an internship with Aquaforce in 2025. His main focus was on solving engineering issues with the drivetrain installation for our 5.4 metre prototype.
Capstone ProjectsIn 2025 two cohorts of RMIT students completed Capstone Projects researching airflow over our existing wing shape, carrying out Computational Fluid Dynamics theoretical analysis along with wind tunnel testing. One of these projects also focused on examining our current wingsail shape against potentially more efficient shapes.
University of NSWInternshipsTwo UNSW students, Toby St John and Luca Brighenti completed internships with Aquaforce in early 2026. Their work focused on building and installing both hardware and software on our 5.4 metre prototype.
ThesesJoel Thamby, a final year engineering student at UNSW completed a thesis based on material selection, laminate design, and manufacturing process selection for our wing design.
James Lucas completed a thesis developing a theoretical predictive model for the thrust generated by a rigid wing sailing yacht prototype. James’ investigation focused on lift-to-drag ratios in determining optimal trim of the wing sail.
Julian Volpato has commenced a thesis focusing on CFD analysis of the our latest updated wingsail design, which then can be further developed into materials solutions for its construction.
Industry InvolvementIndustry specialists continue to contribute knowledge gained through decades of practical experience.
Each collaboration strengthens the project.
Each new partnership expands our understanding.
Innovation thrives when ideas are shared.
As the project continues to develop, we welcome opportunities to work with organisations and individuals who share our commitment to practical engineering and continuous improvement.Whether through research, manufacturing, technical advice or commercial partnerships, every contribution helps move the project forward.
Engineering has always been a team effort. Wingship is no exception.
Kay Cottee supportThe AquaForce project has benefited from the encouragement and support of Australian sailing legend Kay Cottee (AO) and her husband, Peter Sutton. AquaForce purchased the Cottee 56-foot hull and deck from Kay. This vessel will be our test platform for a fully functional wingsail vessel, capable of crossing oceans in the footsteps of sailing greats like Kay.
Kay built the Cottee 56 after her historic solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world in ‘Blackmores First Lady’. Kay and Peter were very generous with their time, sharing knowledge of the yacht and offering valuable encouragement during the early stages of the project. Their support and confidence in the concept have been greatly appreciated by the AquaForce team.
Kay built the Cottee 56 after her historic solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the world in ‘Blackmores First Lady’. Kay and Peter were very generous with their time, sharing knowledge of the yacht and offering valuable encouragement during the early stages of the project. Their support and confidence in the concept have been greatly appreciated by the AquaForce team.
.png)
.png)
"Progress is achieved when knowledge is shared."