Sandsail

The silt of the Red Velvet Desert flows loosely across the landscape, like a sea with dunes for waves and rocky patches for islands. In this unique environment, Rostran settlers have used sandsails to adapt their natural nautical talents for leisure, travel, trade, and even piracy atop the seemingly endless silt seas.

Propulsion

The hull of a sandsail is broadly shaped like that of an airboat or large air raft, with small, retractable rollers arranged along each side to permit the boat to be hauled safely 'ashore' when solid enough ground is found. The bottom of this hull is kept well-polished and (ideally) waxed or otherwise lubricated to minimize the amount of friction it experiences from contact with silt; a slight taper in the hull forms a 'keel' such that the vessel can be steered by leaning if necessary.

A folding mast in the center of the sandsail carries the eponymous sail, a square or triangular expanse of cloth used to help catch high winds and drive the vessel forward. Sandsail sails tend to be brightly-colored to show the origin, affiliation, and purpose of the vessel they are affixed to, borrowing heavily from the Low Rostran nautical tradition in terms of imagery. A small internal combustion engine at the aft of the vessel is linked via chain or shaft drive to a retractable sandpaddle wheel for use when there isn't enough wind to drive the vessel forward. This engine is used as little as possible, as the water which would serve as fuel biosynthesis media in biodiesel production tanks is often better saved for drinking in such an arid environment.

Avarix Corps Deathshead Symbol by BCGR_Wurth

Some sandsails can be caulked to create fully functional sailboats, though most Rostrans prefer catamarans over unitary hulls on the water.

Weapons & Armament

Most sandsails are not armed, relying on the personal arms of their crew and passengers for defense. Rarely, crew-served weapons have been mounted to sandsails to create silt-going technicals.

Communication Tools & Systems

In lieu of affixing bulky two-way radio systems, many sandsailors carry signal mirrors and semaphores to communicate remotely across the the silt surface.

Hangars & docked vessels

A few models of sandsail actually use motorcycles with special wide sand tires or track assemblies as propulsion instead of the usual fixed motor mount at the aft of the vessel. These motorcycles can be detatched from the sandsail and operated independently, effectively serving as outriders for the sandsail should the need arise for whatever reason. This unusual configuration often comes about as the result of tinkering done to make the best of materials available, though a few are purpose-built with this utility in mind (i.e. Avarix Corps surface scouts).

Rarity

Common (regional)

Width

10ft (or longer with sails)

Length

15ft (or longer with sails)

Height

Varies (up to 5' sides,

Complement / Crew

1 (pilot)

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

3 (passengers or an equivalent mass of cargo)