Ron P

www.earthrace.net

This is happening now and really fasinating. If you have time to kill, real the Captain's blog. Here's the most recent entry.


Singapore.

"Are you sure it's the piston", says the Cummins Mercruiser Engineer,
perched precariously up on the Earthrace port engine. He's a big man
and struggling at having to work in such a confined engine bay.
"Well the Cummins guy from Guam reckoned it was", says GC5. "We've
nursed the boat here, and now you need to fix today". GC5 has a way
of making things seem urgent. The CMD Engineer scowls at GC5, then
starts ordering a couple of his Technicians around. He's sweating
profusely, despite the solitary fan pointing directly at him.

We'd arrived here early this morning, and we're wanting to be all done
and gone tomorrow. We're docked at the prestigous "One Degree
Fifteen" marina. Not sure if the person who came up with the name is
a marketing genius or clutz, but it sure is a plush place. It's
probably the flashest marina we've been to over the last year. And
they've been generous (or perhaps foolish) enough to give us free
docking, accomodation, press conference facilities and the odd meal.
It's a members only place, and my crew all stick out like dogs balls
because they're the only ones with no shirts and bare feet.

Come mid afternoon and we finally get all the crew, minus Tshirts,
together for a meeting. "Right, here's what we need to figure out", I
start. "What are we doing about the race. And we need to replace
Hedley."
"And the money", interjects John. 'We don't have any left".

There's general consensus that we should carry on and finish in San
Diego, as long as we continue to have a chance of getting the record.
The fuel and funding for this however is a different matter. "As
things stand today", says John, looking somewhat depressed, "we have
only $1400 left, which will get us flights to India, but no further.
So we have no money to even get as far as Barbados, lat alone all the
way back to San Diego". We all sit there silent, knowing there's no
easy answer to this one.
"You know", says Ryan, who'd kept quiet up until now, "we always pull
in the money and the fuel at the last minute. When things are about
to collapse around us, someone always comes up with what we need, and
I reckon it'll continue to happen". There's silence again, but there
is some truth to what he's saying.

We shift off to talk about Hedley's replacement. I'm still smarting
at his nerve for only doing one leg, but to his credit, he's now
working like a trojan on the engines when he could easily have
scarpered as soon as we arrived here.
"There is this guy Peter from Christchurch in town who's interested",
says GC5, "and he could leave with you guys tomorrow".
"What qualifications does he have", I ask expectantly.
"He breathes and has a pulse".

T2x

I never did quite understand this project. Is it one man's goal?
Then let him finish it, as best he can.

Is it designed to save us from "global warming"...?Then let it sink.

Is it a marketing tool for various vendors of fuel and diesel power? Then let them fund it.

Is it one of the most cockeyed, fatally tragic, badly planned, mixes of sailboat and power boat technology extant?
Then leave us alone.

T2x

BODYSHOT1

you can always count on T2x to hit ya right between the eyes..like it or not...

TopSpin80

I thought it was supposed to be a bio-diesel record or something... Their fuel sponsor dropped out last minute. So are they still running bio, and where are they getting it in these foreign countries... it is hard to find even in Texas.

Ernie

LostinBoston

I talked with some of th crew at the shows and toured the boat. It is a pretty cool design. The planning fell apart when their main sponsor caved which left them in dire need for money to complete the journey. It is one mans dream, but could also help everybody. Bio-disel is not just about global warming. Although the environmental benefits from it are astonishing, it could have an even better effect on ours and many internatinoal economies. THey were able to find biodisel in all but one port so far. They have ground crew arrange shipment to ports. Its hard to find retail, but when you order over a thousand gallans, they will deliver. There are many producers all over the world.

Texas biodiesel
http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodi...tate.asp?st=TX

Bobthebuilder

I have followed their journey with interest. Admire their courage and wish them all the best. A friend and I seriously considered buying into the Suez to Spain leg but in the end decided against it. Sent them a check tho to help with a bit of fuel. I hope they can complete the trip.
Bob

jhiguy377

If this project highlights interest in bio-diesel then I'm for it. I dont' want no freakin sheik abdul with his hands around our collective gonads. -jeff

Ron P

From the inteview in EBM a few months back.

EBM – What is the tie into the bio diesel fuels?
Pete – The record is a means to an end, it will get this boat some attention– we call it “Mana” in New Zealand, you call it notoriety. I worked for years as an oil exploration engineer in the North Sea. I’ve become very aware about how much fossil fuel we have left, about 40 or 50 years worth. In 2003 I did an NBA thesis on Bio Diesel fuel and after doing the research, I believe bio diesel fuel is the most suitable alternative fuel plus it’s renewable and can be blended into existing fuels. These Cummings/Mercruiser engines weren’t altered at all and they have just over 2000 hours on them running on 100% Bio Diesel from multiple sources. Only in the coldest climates do we mix in 20% typical diesel fuel.

EBM – Where does Bio Diesel come from?
Pete – It’s normally made from vegetable oil and there are three hundred different crops that can make fuel. In the states most of yours come from Soy Bean Oil, but you can make it from Coconut oil, Palm oil or Canola oil, even animal fats. In New Zealand we can cut our need for fuel by six percent by just turning the animal fat from what we already process into fuel. Today we just throw it away. Restaurants are finding a way to sell their used Wesson cooking oil to fuel companies. Then the fuel companies refine it and sell it at the pump. We aim to bring as much attention as possible to the application of Bio Diesel fuels. Winning the record will help to do that.

EBM – What happens after the record run?
Pete – We come back to New York for a bit of a refit, then we go on a five-month tour of forty cities across Europe and Asia. It will be 2008 before this boat returns to New Zealand and ends up in a Maritime Museum.

EBM – And then what will you do?
Pete – I have no idea what I’m going to do after this. I’ve picked up some valuable skills along the way, it will be time to spend some time with my family. My wife is at home in New Zealand raising our two young kids and trying to pay our mortgage. We’ve sacrificed a lot, I’m not complaining, it’s part of the game and it’s allowed us to be in this position, but it’s tough right now. The crew sort of lives day to day as we do our promotional tour throughout the east coast and Mississippi delta before heading south to Barbados for the start of the race.

EBM – Who’s on your crew?
Pete – My crew consists of some really dedicated people. Torsten Sandmark, Michael Schubert, John Allen, Devann Yata, Ryan Heron and Matt Stein. John, Ryan and Matt do most of their work for the project from land. They set up all our logistics and coordinate the media appointments. Hopefully that will be our biggest challenge after the race is over.

EBM – What final message would you like to leave with our readers?
Pete – Bio Diesel Fuel is going to become part of the transportation energy mix and it needs Americans to support it. You can track our progress around the globe at www.earthrace.net.

EBM would like to thank the crew of Earthrace for a tour of the boat and a glimpse into someone else’s dream. We wish them continued success on their journey to circumnavigate the globe in record time. We look forward to seeing them in the Winner’s Circle sometime early next summer.

ratman

"It's a members only place, and my crew all stick out like dogs balls"
was stecz one of the crew?

ToTheMax

I hope they can pull it off. Lots of challenges so far, but hopefully those are all behind them.