The biodiesel-powered boat has started on its round-the-world journey… again. As you might remember, it was nearly a year ago that the “Earthrace” had to abandon its attempt to break the world record for circumnavigation of the globe in a boat.
This article from Biodiesel Magazine says the green-fueled boat left port at Sagunto, Spain, on Sunday, as it makes its way around the globe on 100 percent sustainable fuel:
“For the next 40 days we’re going to believing on adrenaline,” said Pete Bethune, a skipper for Earthrace, who auctioned off his home and sold his company to fund the building of the $1.5 million vessel. “The crew have entered race mode and we have one thing on our minds – the world’s record,” he said.
With its voyage beginning in Sagunto, Spain, the boat will travel east to the Azores where it will stop for refueling, and then go on to Puerto Rico.
The crew of the 78-foot vessel plans to complete the voyage in less than 65 days, which would easily come in under the present record of 74 days, 23 hours, and 53 minutes, set in 1998 by the United Kingdom boat Cables & Wireless Adventurer.
“This time it’s really happening and we’re all raring to go,” Bethune said earlier this year. “Our new team is working really well together and we have the skills we need on board [as well as] the ground-crew to break the record.”
You can follow the Earthrace’s progress at www.earthrace.net.