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Posted on 25th Feb 2011 @ 3:47 PM

PLANETSOLAR'S STOP IN MIAMI

November 29, 2010 -- MIAMI, FL

The catamaran’s name Tûranor means “power of the sun” and is perfectly fitting for what it stands for: to prove that the sun can indeed be used to power our lives.  The Tûranor has a 6 person crew and travels at an average speed of 7.5 knots, the average speed of an oil tanker.  Her design was chosen for its ability to “slice” rather than “ride” on the waves, which saves energy.  She can travel for around 3 days on the sunlight driven batteries at her average speed and up to 15 days at a slower speed in the absence of the sun, according to her makers.  Traditionally, a sailor’s focus has been on 3 elements: the wind, waves, and tide.  On the Tûranor, the crew must also take into consideration the sun and the lithium ion battery to be sure to maximize the catamaran’s capabilities.

Because the crew will essentially be “chasing the sun”, Polaroid Eyewear has shown its support of the revolutionary cause by being an official sponsor of the expedition and providing sunglasses to protect the crew’s eyes. A leader in polarized lens technology, Polaroid recognizes the importance of protecting the eyes and doing it in an eco-friendly manner by continuously looking for ways to reduce environmental impact and using materials from renewable sources in their sunglasses.

Polaroid was in Miami to meet the crew and give them their eco-friendly PlanetSolar Special Edition sunglasses when the Tûranor pulled in to port.  "For us this is the perfect partnership," said Jerry Dreifuss, Global Marketing Manager, at Polaroid Eyewear. "At Polaroid Eyewear our business has been built around technology that delivers sun protection for the eyes through the ongoing development of polarized lenses. Long term investment in research relating to all aspects of this has always been a crucial part of our business ethic.”

The Tûranor made its way through the Florida Straits to Cancun and then on to Cartagena, Colombia where it will remain in port until after the Holiday season.  The crew will return in 2011 for its sunniest leg of the world tour, traveling through the Panama Canal, up to the west coast of the United States, and crossing the Pacific Ocean to Sydney, Australia. In order to maximize sunlight, the crew will be traveling along the equator where harmful UV rays are especially brutal. The crew’s Polaroid sunglasses utilize Polaroid’s new eco-friendly UltraSight™ lenses with Thermofusion™ Technology to eliminate those dangerous UV rays reflecting off the water and off the solar cells on the boat.

With people and businesses becoming more aware of the value of earth’s limited resources, PlanetSolar and Polaroid Eyewear provide an opportunity for people to show their support and enthusiasm for eco-friendly products and movements.

To find out more go to www.polaroideyewear.com and www.planetsolar.org or contact Rachel Scholan, North American Marketing and Product Manager at marketing.usa@polaroideyewear.com.