Touring around the UK in an electric boat
Harry Besley, a 17-year-old British boy, wants to take on a challenge never before undertaken, to circumnavigate the UK on a 100% electric boat. He plans to set off in July 2023 on a journey of nearly 2,000 miles. He explains thus: "I have always loved being on the water. I started out as a dinghy sailor and now I sail as well as motorboat. I thought it was important to prove that you can be on the water without causing damage to the environment. In this way, we want to make boat owners ask themselves questions."
Stops adapted to the recharging of the boat
The other major challenge of the RoundBritain eRIB challenge is to stimulate the port community around electric boat charging. The ports of call are defined according to the autonomy of the boat and the possibilities of recharging on the coastline. Harry is planning about 40 stops on the English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish coasts: "We plan to stop two to three times a day, with 30 to 40 mile legs. The goal is to encourage places to get equipped and there is a good return. We will use a variety of solutions, from car chargers to port terminals... We're also making sure there are potential emergency stops based on weather and power, with safety being an important consideration."
Harry will be accompanied by an experienced co-pilot. He expects the trip to last about 3 weeks, which should be certified as a record at the end of the epic.
A boat made to measure
The financing of the challenge has not yet been finalized, so Harry is being discreet about the technical details. A partnership has nevertheless been sealed with a shipyard. The semi-rigid boat, between 6 and 7 meters long, is currently in production. Designed for the challenge, it should hit the water at the end of April 2023, to immediately start its tests, and determine its autonomy. It will receive an electric motor with a power equivalent to 120 thermal horsepower, from a brand that is still confidential.
