Capital’s Dr Jan Falkowski (56) is returning to the oceans with the crew of Team Britannia, a new round-the-world record attempt.
Team Britannia, led by British ocean racing legend Alan Priddy, will use a revolutionary designed boat that will reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent and make the 24,000 mile trip smoother and faster.
The boat will be crewed by a team of 12, including up to five wounded and injured veterans on each of the seven legs of the voyage. The veterans are being supported by the charity Blesma.
Mr Priddy commented: “I am delighted that my latest record attempt reunites me with Dr Jan. Jan and I have completed many voyages together and so he is a key part of the team that will bring the round-the-world record home to Britain. Experience and a cool head matters when you’re navigating the world’s oceans, and Jan brings yet another illustrious nautical CV to Team Britannia.”
Dr Jan Falkowski added: “I am really looking forward to taking part in the greatest powerboating challenge in the world – especially to be doing it under the watchful eye of Alan Priddy. Alan has assembled a great team and I look forward to co-skippering what is a brilliant opportunity to showcase Britain’s maritime clout on a global level.”
Jan, who comes from London, will be Team Britannia’s co-skipper on their round-the-world record attempt. As well as being second in command, Jan is the ship’s doctor, possessing a plethora of medical qualifications and is one of the UK’s top consultant psychiatrists.
Jan has been heavily involved in RIBs and powerboat racing since the first round Scotland race in 1990. He has set nine world records and currently holds seven, and as a member of Team Buzzi Bullet/Silverline, Jan took second in the powerboat P1 world championships in 2004, 2005 and 2007 and 2009.
Just some of the many world records held by Jan include Round the British Isles, London-Gibraltar, Gibraltar-Monaco and London-Monaco. In 2010, he competed in the 50th Cowes – Poole – Cowes race, finishing first, and also took part in the Around Long Island race.
In addition to fuel-efficient design, the boat will use a pollution cutting Water-in-Diesel (WiDE) fuel emulsion to power the two race-tuned Fiat Power Train C13 500, 6 cylinder engines. The boat is being built by the Aluminium Boatbuilding Company, who are based near Portsmouth, and will be fitting the latest navigation and communications equipment from the British marine industry.
The boat will be launched in late 2016 and will then commence sea trials. The record attempt will get underway next year using the iconic Europa Point in Gibraltar as its timing mark.
To complete the record attempt the boat must pass through the Suez and Panama Canals, cross the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator and start and finish in the same place. The world record authorities, UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique) have approved Team Britannia’s proposed route, which will start in Gibraltar and call at Puerto Rico, Manzanillo, Honolulu, Guam, Singapore, Oman and Malta to take on fuel.
Mr Priddy concluded: “We are at a crucial and exciting point in the project. The boat is being built and we are putting together our team, both shore-based and those who will take part in this epic challenge. I am really pleased Jan will be my co-skipper on this exciting challenge, his CV is bristling with world records and I am sure that the greatest record is yet to come – I cannot wait to get started!”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Team Britannia is a multi-million pound British bid to design and build the fastest and most fuel efficient semi-wave slicing powerboat to circumnavigate the globe for the much-coveted UIM world record, currently held by the New Zealander Pete Bethune at 60 days 23 hours 49 minutes.
The World Record Authorities (UIM) dictate that for a recognised circumnavigation the craft has to pass through the Suez and Panama Canals, cross the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator and must start and finish the journey in the same place.
The boat is a completely new design from Professor Bob Cripps, former Technical Director of VT Halmatic. It has been designed in the UK and will be constructed in the Portsmouth area out of marine-grade aluminium. It encompasses “an exceptionally efficient hull”, which will cut fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent.
In addition to the design the vessel will be powered by a revolutionary fuel emulsion, a mixture of diesel, water and emulsifying agent from Clean Fuel Ltd. This will reduce harmful emissions such as particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.
The effects of the emulsified fuel on the engines and the emissions will be monitored for the duration of the voyage and the results published online.
The boat is being built by the Aluminium Boatbuilding Company based in Hampshire, out of marine-grade aluminium. The metal was produced by Blackburn metals and laser-cut by specialist firm Aalco in Southampton.
The whole construction process is expected to take around nine months before it starts a programme of sea trials around the UK.
The boat will also showcase nearly a dozen leading marine companies, which are supporting the project with their expertise and equipment.
Team Britannia will launch their record bid in spring 2017 from Europa Point in Gibraltar.
Boat specifications:
Length – 80 feet
Internal beam – 13 feet
External beam – 19 feet
Draft – 30 inches
Material – Marine grade aluminium, including nearly 12km of framing
Hull thickness – 8-10 mm
Build weight – 20 tonnes
Range 4,000 nautical miles
Engines – Two customised Fiat Power Train C13 500, 6 cylinders
Power – Each engine is capable of generating 500HP at 2,000 RPM
Water jets – Two Castoldi turbo drive 490 HC
Fuel – Emulsified diesel (diesel, water and a unique emulsion developed by Clean Fuel and its partners)
Navigation station – Raymarine
Communications equipment - Standard Horizon & Iridium Everywere
Batteries - Mastervolt
Total crew – 20 (12 onboard with 5 rotating on and off the boat plus 3 shore based)
Crew clothing - Sebago
For media inquiries, please contact:
Alistair Thompson of Media Intelligence Partners
alistair@mippr.co.uk | 07970 162 225