The goal is as radical as its 78-foot, wave-piercing trimaran hull: break the speed record for circling the globe in a powerboat; add one more challenge-run solely on biodiesel. That's the dream of New Zealander Peter Bethune, founder and CEO of Earthrace, an organization and boat of the same name that's dedicated to promoting the use of renewable fuels. So Earthrace is engaged in a challenge to not only break a speed record, but to also help save the planet from pollution and excessive consumption of crude oil.
Environmental issues aside, there's no denying that circumnavigating the globe represents the pinnacle of powerboat challenges. Covering some 24,000 nautical miles, it's also the world's longest race. The current record of 75 days was set by a British boat, Cable & Wireless Adventurer, in 1998.
The wave-piercing hull is...
The wave-piercing hull is actually designed to cut through the waves instead of jumping over them.
How Bethune and his four-man crew plan to attack this record is as much a story about technology as it is the human desire to excel at something that's never been done before. The Earthrace boat aims to smash the previous record, completing the voyage in less than 65 days, which will mark the first time in history that an official Union Internationale Motonautique, or UIM Powerboat record will be attempted using renewable fuel.
In keeping with these ambitious goals, the Earthrace is one of the most unusual-looking vessels in the world. It's also one of the greenest, a showcase of environmentally friendly technologies such as low-emission engines, non-toxic anti-fouling bottom paint, and a fuel-efficient hull design. It is also happens to be one of the wildest-looking boats ever conceived.
Why such a radical shape? It's actually functional, even though it appears to be more suited for supersonic flight than ocean passages. Its wave-piercing hull form is a key element in setting the record for circumnavigating the globe, allowing the boat to run continuously at high speeds in both flat and rough sea conditions. The twin 8.3L 540hp and 1,273 lb-ft of torque Cummins Mercruiser QSC-540 straight-six turbocharged engines can propel Earthrace as fast as 45 knots (more than 50 mph).
 The ship's cockpit looks like...  The ship's cockpit looks like it would be more at home in a fighter jet than in a speedboat. |  |  Earthrace skipper Peter Bethune...  Earthrace skipper Peter Bethune has a wealth of knowledge about the oil industry, having worked as an oil exploration engineer in New Zealand, the North Sea, and North Africa. He co-founded the high-tech company Camsensor, which makes automated cameras for performing robot control and automated quality control. |