Post by ferryfast admin on May 26, 2012 11:02:39 GMT -5
Wave-piercing ferry to speed ocean crossings
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Plymouth Herald
www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Wave-piercing-ferry-speed-ocean-crossings/story-16192633-detail/story.html
A REVOLUTIONARY new boat capable of bringing the Atlantic Blue Riband record back to Britain is being planned by a Plymouth businessman.
Designs for the huge Atlantic Glider are already well-advanced with the project team ready to start building a smaller-scale prototype within a matter of weeks.
The aim is to create a super-fast 52-metre catamaran ferry able to cross the Atlantic in a little over two days.
The team – led by Plymouth businessman Richard George – believes wave-piercing hulls will dramatically cut fuel consumption of fast ferries.
"We have reached the stage where we are ready to start building a prototype so that we can test the theory in real open-sea conditions," said Mr George, founder of software developer Goss Interactive.
"We are setting out to demonstrate that we can achieve the holy grail of fast-ship design – operating at high speed in rough seas with minimal fuel consumption.
"We are confident that our new ferry design is capable of crossing the Atlantic in two days and we aim to demonstrate this.
"The Atlantic has traditionally been the proving ground for new fast-ship designs and this is where the current wave-piercing ferries demonstrated their capabilities. Our aim is to bring the Blue Riband back to Britain."
Mr George, who has previously raced powerboats, is leading an experienced team of designers, captains and businessmen.
The hulls were designed by Italy-based Captain Robert McCall, who skippered fast ferries in the Caribbean.
The team also includes Dag Pike, navigator aboard Sir Richard Branson's powerboat Virgin Atlantic Challenger II which smashed the transatlantic record in 1986.
Mr Pike said: "I see many new projects like this and was cynical at first, but now I am convinced that with this concept, we have a winner and fuel consumption is quite outstanding."
The £250,000, 18-metre prototype is to be built in the Westcountry with work starting in the coming weeks.
If testing is successful, the team hopes to have the full-scale Atlantic Glider in the water by the summer of 2014.
Sponsorship is still being sought to meet the estimated £5.36 million costs.
Mr George said: "This is not about building a record breaking boat and then leaving it floating in Devonport for years.
"The purpose is to change the way people are ferried across the sea at speed while reducing carbon dioxide emissions."
It is hoped the Atlantic Glider will win back the Blue Riband record for Britain
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Plymouth Herald
www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Wave-piercing-ferry-speed-ocean-crossings/story-16192633-detail/story.html
A REVOLUTIONARY new boat capable of bringing the Atlantic Blue Riband record back to Britain is being planned by a Plymouth businessman.
Designs for the huge Atlantic Glider are already well-advanced with the project team ready to start building a smaller-scale prototype within a matter of weeks.
The aim is to create a super-fast 52-metre catamaran ferry able to cross the Atlantic in a little over two days.
The team – led by Plymouth businessman Richard George – believes wave-piercing hulls will dramatically cut fuel consumption of fast ferries.
"We have reached the stage where we are ready to start building a prototype so that we can test the theory in real open-sea conditions," said Mr George, founder of software developer Goss Interactive.
"We are setting out to demonstrate that we can achieve the holy grail of fast-ship design – operating at high speed in rough seas with minimal fuel consumption.
"We are confident that our new ferry design is capable of crossing the Atlantic in two days and we aim to demonstrate this.
"The Atlantic has traditionally been the proving ground for new fast-ship designs and this is where the current wave-piercing ferries demonstrated their capabilities. Our aim is to bring the Blue Riband back to Britain."
Mr George, who has previously raced powerboats, is leading an experienced team of designers, captains and businessmen.
The hulls were designed by Italy-based Captain Robert McCall, who skippered fast ferries in the Caribbean.
The team also includes Dag Pike, navigator aboard Sir Richard Branson's powerboat Virgin Atlantic Challenger II which smashed the transatlantic record in 1986.
Mr Pike said: "I see many new projects like this and was cynical at first, but now I am convinced that with this concept, we have a winner and fuel consumption is quite outstanding."
The £250,000, 18-metre prototype is to be built in the Westcountry with work starting in the coming weeks.
If testing is successful, the team hopes to have the full-scale Atlantic Glider in the water by the summer of 2014.
Sponsorship is still being sought to meet the estimated £5.36 million costs.
Mr George said: "This is not about building a record breaking boat and then leaving it floating in Devonport for years.
"The purpose is to change the way people are ferried across the sea at speed while reducing carbon dioxide emissions."
It is hoped the Atlantic Glider will win back the Blue Riband record for Britain