Earthrace bites the dust
- Thread starter Twister_Ken
- Start date
flaming
Well-known member
Good.
savageseadog
Well-known member
Perhaps they'll flog it off and give some money to the family of the man they killed.
Sans Bateau
Well-known member
[ QUOTE ]
Nevertheless, skipper Pete Bethune says: "We can all feel proud of what we have achieved with the limited resources we had, and we do take some heart from that.
[/ QUOTE ]
Would all circumnavigating yachtsmen take note, gentlemen IT CAN BE DONE!!!! it has now been proven! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Nevertheless, skipper Pete Bethune says: "We can all feel proud of what we have achieved with the limited resources we had, and we do take some heart from that.
[/ QUOTE ]
Would all circumnavigating yachtsmen take note, gentlemen IT CAN BE DONE!!!! it has now been proven! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
dom
Well-known member
The skipper says
"The whole team is pretty devastated right now. We have all put so much time, money, and effort into this record attempt; it is pretty upsetting to have to abandon the race."
I guess some other family might be devastated too! These guys really disgust me.
"The whole team is pretty devastated right now. We have all put so much time, money, and effort into this record attempt; it is pretty upsetting to have to abandon the race."
I guess some other family might be devastated too! These guys really disgust me.
Norman_E
Well-known member
Hooray for that. This was always a very silly record attempt, trying to circumnavigate by the easiest route via the canals in an effort to get round in a time three days slower than a single handed sailing yacht managed on the hard route via the Southern Ocean. At the same time burning vast quantities of fuel. As for the fact that they tried to do it on biodiesel, I wonder how many people could have been fed if food crops were grown instead of oil crops for the quantity they burned?
G
Guest
Guest
How on earth can you get enough photo calls if you just stop at none media centred places. Marketing at the expense of human life.
It is akin to doing car rallies through Mongolian villages.
It is akin to doing car rallies through Mongolian villages.
iangrant
New member
Quote -------------------------------
"The original aim of the voyage, to break the record using biodiesel, is also in tatters after the team were unable to source the alternative fuel in the remote archipelago of Palau. They filled up with standard diesel instead."
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Imagine the conversation at the pumps,
"hello mate fill 'er up please"
Pump Attendant - "hello meester you got dollars?"
"Yes - bio fuel please"
Pump Attendant "no understanyee"
"bio fuel please, you know good stuff not dirty"
Pump attendant "oh understand i can do dirty 5 dollar half hour nice filthy time"
"lads, did anyone check the route for fuel?"
OOPs
Ian
"The original aim of the voyage, to break the record using biodiesel, is also in tatters after the team were unable to source the alternative fuel in the remote archipelago of Palau. They filled up with standard diesel instead."
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Imagine the conversation at the pumps,
"hello mate fill 'er up please"
Pump Attendant - "hello meester you got dollars?"
"Yes - bio fuel please"
Pump Attendant "no understanyee"
"bio fuel please, you know good stuff not dirty"
Pump attendant "oh understand i can do dirty 5 dollar half hour nice filthy time"
"lads, did anyone check the route for fuel?"
OOPs
Ian
sailbadthesinner
New member
I have applied on their behalf for record waste of time and money in pointless pursuit
i reckon they're in with a chance
i reckon they're in with a chance
Sixpence
Active member
and I've e mailed the skipper and suggested he may want to respond , maybe he will , maybe he won't , but only fair to give them a chance really
oceanfroggie
Well-known member
Good ridance! Wasters
KINGFISHER 8
Well-known member
I also thought the whole thing was appalling from start to finish. It would be good if there was some way we could make sure the stupid stunt got some BAD publicity!
Bajansailor
Well-known member
My two cents worth : If they really wanted to do something meaningful and useful with this remarkable craft (and she does look very impressive for sure - quite an amazing design and concept), they should have gone on a promotional tour around Europe, or perhaps just around the British Isles to start with.
They could have had an 'Open House' on the vessel in every port, and have a small portable exhibition telling people about biofuels, where they come from / how they are made, the significance of burning them instead of fossil fuels, etc. etc. If they came into my home-port and had such an exhibition I would have loved to have had a look at it.
This would have had a much greater impact on the people they are aiming to impress / make aware, and it would reach a much greater number of people of all ages and from all backgrounds - and they would use much less fuel when compared to gallivanting off round the world!
But no, they had to go on a Boys Own Tour of the World.
And now they are wondering what went wrong..... it obviously wasn't themselves......
(Oh, and yes, they did start off from here, but they were rather aloof, and certainly didnt have (as far as I know) any Open House displays as suggested above).
They could have had an 'Open House' on the vessel in every port, and have a small portable exhibition telling people about biofuels, where they come from / how they are made, the significance of burning them instead of fossil fuels, etc. etc. If they came into my home-port and had such an exhibition I would have loved to have had a look at it.
This would have had a much greater impact on the people they are aiming to impress / make aware, and it would reach a much greater number of people of all ages and from all backgrounds - and they would use much less fuel when compared to gallivanting off round the world!
But no, they had to go on a Boys Own Tour of the World.
And now they are wondering what went wrong..... it obviously wasn't themselves......
(Oh, and yes, they did start off from here, but they were rather aloof, and certainly didnt have (as far as I know) any Open House displays as suggested above).
Sixpence
Active member
The skipper ( Peter ) has replied that he will check out this thread when he gets a chance , let's give him a chance to answer any comments before we hang him and his out to dry
Bajansailor
Well-known member
Fair point Dave! Sorry, I shouldnt have barbequed them above without hearing the Earthrace side of the story.
.
I hope that Pete does muster up the courage to face the baying wolves - if he does, I am sure he will be more than capable of 'holding his own' in the subsequent discussion.
.
I hope that Pete does muster up the courage to face the baying wolves - if he does, I am sure he will be more than capable of 'holding his own' in the subsequent discussion.
graham
Well-known member
I just did a 3 day mini cruise around the bristol channel.Used only about 2 litres of fuel didnt run anyone down or preten d to be saving the planet.
Bio fuel is of dubious environmental advantage.To make sufficient to have much impact world food production will have to reduce and or virgin forests turned over to agriculture.. Still so long as us rich westerners can fuel our cars and fill our bellies whats the problem?
The average non boaty pertson in the UK at least seems to be totally unaware of Earth Race. It was a brave attempt at the world record but thats all it was IMHO.
Bio fuel is of dubious environmental advantage.To make sufficient to have much impact world food production will have to reduce and or virgin forests turned over to agriculture.. Still so long as us rich westerners can fuel our cars and fill our bellies whats the problem?
The average non boaty pertson in the UK at least seems to be totally unaware of Earth Race. It was a brave attempt at the world record but thats all it was IMHO.
earthrace1
New member
The vessel Earthrace collided with had no white light, was drifting in international waters, and all three occupants were asleep at the time. The fishing vessel was fibreglass and very little freeboard, giving it very low radar signature. Earthrace was only doing 15 knots at the time of the collision. It was an accident waiting to happen, although in Guatemala it is all too common. According to their Navy figures, there were over 60 collisions with fishing skiffs off the Guatemalan coast last year, although most of them are between local boats. Many vessels operate with no lights whatsoever.
The family of the dead fisheman have been paid the equivalent of double winning the national lottery. We have met all mediacal expenses of the injured fisherman. We paid for a brand new boat. And Anthony, the driver at the time of the accident, is setting up a college fund for the son of one of the fishemen. This is despite the fishing boat clearly being operated illegally. We never argued with the families about they were wrong and we were right. We just got in and settled with them in a way that allows them to move on and rebuild.
Anthony and I agreed he should not drive Earthrace again following the accident, although he continues to assist on the ground in San Diego.
All up it was a tragic accident that has affected many people, and we've done our best to assist the families, while also endeavouring to meet obligations to our sponsors and supporters who have invested heavily in us.
Pete - Skipper - Earthrace.
The family of the dead fisheman have been paid the equivalent of double winning the national lottery. We have met all mediacal expenses of the injured fisherman. We paid for a brand new boat. And Anthony, the driver at the time of the accident, is setting up a college fund for the son of one of the fishemen. This is despite the fishing boat clearly being operated illegally. We never argued with the families about they were wrong and we were right. We just got in and settled with them in a way that allows them to move on and rebuild.
Anthony and I agreed he should not drive Earthrace again following the accident, although he continues to assist on the ground in San Diego.
All up it was a tragic accident that has affected many people, and we've done our best to assist the families, while also endeavouring to meet obligations to our sponsors and supporters who have invested heavily in us.
Pete - Skipper - Earthrace.
Sixpence
Active member
Well said Pete , and welcome to the forum , it's good to see the actual facts from those actually involved sometimes , though I doubt all will be happy
Dave
Dave
earthrace1
New member
The point with biodiesel is it is to just become part of our transport energy mix. There is no silver bullet to suddenly give us endless energy, but there are many things that can contribute positively. Like biodiesel, ethanol, smaller cars, working from home, public transport.
Biodiesel at least gives economies the chance to develop their own fuel options. In NZ we can run 6% of our total transport fuels purely from animal fats that we already process. It ain't 100%, but it sure is better than zero. And the supply is renewable. Palau and Marshall Islands, both leg stops on our record attempt, are considering options for biodiesel from coconut oil, as a result of discussions with us. Environmentally they would be better off growing fuels locally than importing from the middle east. Two of the race legs we refuelled with biodiesel made from waste cooking oil. Another was from soya bean oil, of which the US, until biodiesel production started, had a massive overcapacity.
In no way do we claim biodiesel is perfect, but it is a step in the right direction for many countries.
Pete - Skipper - Earthrace
Biodiesel at least gives economies the chance to develop their own fuel options. In NZ we can run 6% of our total transport fuels purely from animal fats that we already process. It ain't 100%, but it sure is better than zero. And the supply is renewable. Palau and Marshall Islands, both leg stops on our record attempt, are considering options for biodiesel from coconut oil, as a result of discussions with us. Environmentally they would be better off growing fuels locally than importing from the middle east. Two of the race legs we refuelled with biodiesel made from waste cooking oil. Another was from soya bean oil, of which the US, until biodiesel production started, had a massive overcapacity.
In no way do we claim biodiesel is perfect, but it is a step in the right direction for many countries.
Pete - Skipper - Earthrace
graham
Well-known member
Hello Pete Welcome to the forum. Bio diesel production may well have benefits to small isolated Islands /Countries.The problem emerging is farms in africa previously producing food switching to more lucrative oil c rops.
It was heartening to hear that you have supported the families of the Guatamalen fishing boat. I sailed off the coast of belize in the 80s and know that then at least the fishing boats had no lights or any safety equipment at all from what I could see.
We will have to agree to disagree on the environmental advantage of motoring around the world at high speed at least partly on ordinary diesel.I still take my hat off to you guys,it was a brave attempt and you must now be bitterly dissapointed.
It was heartening to hear that you have supported the families of the Guatamalen fishing boat. I sailed off the coast of belize in the 80s and know that then at least the fishing boats had no lights or any safety equipment at all from what I could see.
We will have to agree to disagree on the environmental advantage of motoring around the world at high speed at least partly on ordinary diesel.I still take my hat off to you guys,it was a brave attempt and you must now be bitterly dissapointed.
