Inertial wave energy converter

An inertial wave energy converter, comprising:

• a positively buoyant flotation module adapted to float on a surface of a body of water;
• a first pulley journaled at the positively buoyant flotation module;
• a first power-take-off system configured to resist rotation of said first pulley;
• a submerged negatively buoyant mass enclosing a fluid, said submerged negatively buoyant mass coupled to said positively buoyant flotation module at said first pulley via a flexible connector;
• a restoring weight configured to store gravitational potential energy when a separation distance between the positively buoyant flotation module and the submerged negatively buoyant mass increases, the restoring weight reducing slack in the flexible connector when said separation distance decreases;
• wherein said submerged negatively buoyant mass is lifted and dynamically suspended by periodic upward impulses applied via said flexible connector when said positively buoyant flotation module moves on waves at the surface of the body of water;
• wherein said submerged negatively buoyant mass is configured to gravitationally descend in between said periodic upward impulses;
• wherein a torque derived from a momentum of said submerged negatively buoyant mass is applied to said first pulley to drive said first power-take-off system;
• and
• wherein the restoring weight is disposed at a lesser average depth than the submerged negatively buoyant mass.