Records

[Alan Priddy]

Fabio Buzzi has just gone around Britain in 30 hours & 40 min in his 80 foot 6000 hp superboat which is an average speed of some 48 knots over 1500 miles.
It is amazing what you can achieve with a 10 million dollar budget and time to spare. My heart goes out for Mike Deacon and his crew who had their world record taken away by The Sunseeker team of Peter Dredge and Ian Sanderson after only 3 weeks. Both Sunseeker and Buzzi have had loads of money chucked at them to get world records. Perhaps the rules need changing to allow the true sports person a chance.
Alan P
P.S. Fabio only managed to knock 26 hours off our London - Monaco record which we did in 1998 in a 7.5 open RIB with 165hp Yamaha engine just for fun. And I still reckon that I can ghet around the world faster than him

[Allan]

There is so much truth in what you say!

The "Big Boys" (and girls) who have access to massive funding will often come along a steal the thunder of the little people who very often set up the first records.

There is a lot to be said for having record categories which will enable the amateur (who's efforts are often all but amateur) sportsman (and I again I include the ladies withing that terminology) to have a place in these achievements.

Perhaps one area of consolation is that very often, the first records are often created by the amateurs and dedicated enthusiasts and that "first" record is an absolute which can never be taken away. So regardless of availability of budget those "firsts" will remain for all time and many such potential records are still withing the reach of mortals.

Thank goodness that the likes of Alan Priddy are in existance and have the guts, determination, ability and confidence to get out there and make things happen!

The "Big Boys" may come along and break records but the greatest spirit lies with those who create them in the first place.

[sirzap]

Alan,
I think where there is a World Record on the line, in a sport where an engine and a vechicle are used, you will see in most cases that the teams indeed have a ton of money. I can't see any rule changes coming that would take into consideration the teams budget. Boat lenght, horsepower, production models vs experimintal craft, etc. are more than likely to see revision, and there seems to be plenty of those rules around already. Maybe this is one reason why Hot Lemon's achievement this summer had all Ribsters grining ear to ear. And they have set the standard for future Ribs too try and best. Though Fabio Buzzi is a very wealthy sportsman, his accomplishments are impressive, and a sportsman. If you had several million during the planning phase for your attempt, would you have the same boat, the same engine configuration, the same fuel capacity? I wish you success next year, and I hope you do bring home a new World record, but the fact that you are willing and dedicated to try is quite impressive. Good luck
Neil

[Alan Priddy]

Thanks for that Neil. In truth yes, I would still have the same boat.
I have always belived that sport should be for all and not just for the rich and famous.I also belive that all sport awards should be determined by effort and not the size of a bank balance, after all it is better to win an award than pay for it. Perhaps we should start running a book on who will get Around the World first and fastest.

See you
Alan P

[Powerboat]

I too sympathise with those of meagre means who see millionaires use money to break records .

In my past I have established several records only to see them broken a year or so later by people with bigger budgets .

One of my proudest claims is that in the millions of years of the Shannon rivers existance . no human being had ever travelled its length by boat in a day before Team Custume Cats did it in under 5 hours 1992.

We ( three young Army Officers ) each chipped in 25 quid into a kitty to buy posh headed paper to use for writing to " Sponsors ".

The entire "Shannon Sprint" project using a " borrowed " boat was run on a budget of less than £400 .

The three of us had a dream , a sense of fun and adventure , Camraderie and most of all an ability to ignore the "knockers " or as we say in Ireland an ability to say " F*@# the Begrudgers ! " who will come up with 500000 reasons why not to " Give it a lash ! "

It is amateurs such as us who have the vision , courage and sense of adventure to establish records - to path find - to show it can be done in the first place . If others choose to use better technology with more funding to improve on the standard we have set , so be it !

The round Ireland record was established in the 80's by a young Irish adventurer named Enda O'Coineen who was also the first person to cross the Atlantic ( Solo ) by Rib ( The unsinkable Kilcullen ) in the 70's.

Enda's team borrowed a Windy Sports Cruiser and hammered ( and drank ..... In the Aran Islands --alledgedly ! ) their way around Ireland in 36 hours . It is now up to the likes of me to set up a better effort to beat the current record . Every year as our reputation grows , so does our budget and this is the way of the world .

We started with £75 in 1992 . In 2002 we have £100,000 , which is still not a lot of money as I found out while in Southampton last week !

I have huge admiration and sympathy for the Hot Lemon team who had a tremendous success . They were however probably a £ 100k project ! Sunseeker were probably a £250k project and so it will ever be ........

They will still rely on amateurs with a sense of fun and adventure to say F@*~ the begrudgers !! and to lead the way and show them how to do it in the first place !

Best wishes ,

Stuart
www.powerboat.org

[John Kennett]

Alan Priddy wrote:

My heart goes out for Mike Deacon and his crew who had their world record taken away by The Sunseeker team of Peter Dredge and Ian Sanderson after only 3 weeks

But don't forget that the "open" record was a bit of a bonus for Mike & crew -- I doubt that the RIB record will be broken for a while!

John