SeaCharger Vessel Crosses Pacific Solely on Solar PowerSeaCharger Vessel Crosses Pacific Solely on Solar Power

An autonomous seacraft has become the first unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to successfully cross the Pacific Ocean -- from California to Hawaii -- solely on solar power.

The aptly named SeaCharger -- the brainchild of a group of hobbyists in California who put the craft together in a garage -- traveled a total distance of 2,413 miles and spent 41.4 days at sea. It traveled at an average speed of 2.43 mph and made 58.3 miles per day, crossing from Half Moon Bay, Calif., to Mahukona, Hawaii.

The team of four -- Damon McMillan, JT Zemp, Troy Arbuckle, and Matt Stowell -- said they were inspired to build the craft for the Microtransat Challenge, an autonomous boat race, and decided to make it solar-powered when they realized others were largely relying on wind power for their crafts.