Biodiesel Powered Earthrace Beats Around the World Record by 14 Days

Around the World in 60 Days

The sleek tri-hull Earthrace eco-boat, has beaten the world speed record for a powerboat to circumnavigate the globe. The biodiesel powered craft traveled 24,000 nautical miles in 60 days, 23 hours and 49 minutes, finishing its journey by crossing the finish line in Sagunto, Spain.

That beat a record set in 1998 by the British boat, Cable and wireless Adventurer.

According to a news release from Earthrace, skipper Pete Bethune, a former oil worker, had this to say about the achievement:

“We’re completely stoked to have achieved something so incredible,” says Bethune.
“Earthrace’s success has proved that any form of transport, including marine, can be nondamaging to the environment as well as being high performance. It is still early days for alternative fuel and there are issues that need to be addressed by those with the power to make change happen. But I hope that Earthrace and her adventure highlight to the world the importance of continuing to research and develop alternative fuel sources for global use.”

The trip was not without its problems, however. The craft hit sea debris in Palau and forced replacement of the boat’s drive shaft and propeller. It navigated through monsoon conditions in the Indian Ocean, and bypassed a backlog of ships waiting to transit the Panama Canal.

The boat is a 24m tri-hull wavepiercer, and was built in New Zealand.