Back in the 50's, I was crazy about Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines. In one issue was an article about a huge sailing rig similar to an iceboat, but with wheels. Maybe it was an attempt at some kind of speed record, I can't recall that.
I remember lots of cool ironwork, expanded metal grating, and all kinds of tackle illustrated. This is the kind of stuff that hops around in a young boy's mind!
About twenty years later, in a science fiction movie, I saw a large desert sailing vessel... I don't think it had wheels, seems like it had the shape of a huge snail or something. Perhaps someone knows the movie I refer to?
 |
Shortly thereafter I was moved to sketch my idea of a giant desert sailing ship, with huge wheels. I don't pretend to have an original idea, it's just my personal, uneducated version on a theme. If I were to work on it further, my knowledge and experience with actual sailboats would help me come up with more "believable" sails and spars. Anyway, it was fun doing it back about 20 years ago, so I decided to post the original, unresolved sketch here. Maybe it's more fun to let the viewer's imagination explain and clarify, and wonder what might the interior be like, and what materials tires, hull, and rigging might be?