An economic appraisal of sail-assisted commercial fishing vessels in Hawaiian waters

This article investigates the projected cost-effectiveness of procuring and operating two sizes of multipurpose sail-assisted vessels for commercial fishing in Hawaiian waters. Analysis of financial projections indicates that investment performance of sail-assisted fishing boats is inferior to conventional diesel powered boats given current fuel prices, costs of borrowed capital, and vessel acquisition costs. This conclusion would not be altered if fuel prices were to double from their current levels. However, the relative financial performance of diesel and sail-assisted vessels does not appear to be sensitive to perturbations in key financial parameters, particularly the purchase price of the motor sailers.