Team Pulsar Racing, skippered by Greg Marsden, beat official record by more than four hours, despite fierce conditions
Friday 11 September 2009 -
Team Pulsar Racing, co-skippered by Raymarine ambassador Greg Marsden, has broken the Round Ireland world record by just four minutes.
Greg, Justin Mc Inerney and Derek Stanley took just 19 hours 9 minutes and 50 seconds to complete the 704 nautical-mile Ireland and Islands (less Rockall) circuit in their Quinquari-Humber RIB Milwaukee Seawolf. The existing RYA-ratified record did not include all the islands of Ireland designated under the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) record course, and so was 22 miles shorter.
The team encountered some ferocious conditions in the record attempt and feared it would not break the time previously set, but it triumphed with help from its Raymarine C140W widescreen multifunction display, AIS500 Automatic Identification System and HD Digital Radome.
In the closing stages, with Cork in sight, an average speed of 40knots was required to achieve the target time of just over 19 hours. The team said, “With only one hour of daylight remaining the target for the record seemed all but impossible. Faultless navigation and a true course would now be key.
“With the state-of-the-art Raymarine suite, Greg took the helm for the final sprint to the Fastnet rock and Mizen Head. With conditions and the light continuing to deteriorate, the speed of the rib had to reduce. Crew fatigue was also beginning to take its toll simply due to physical stresses.
“The Quinquari-Humber, however, seemed to get its second wind. With time tight, Greg decided to switch to instrument-only navigation for the last 25 minutes, with Justin and Stan acting as navigators.
“Using Raymarine C140W plotters displaying a combination of rolling road, detailed track and course projections with radar and AIS overlays, Greg was clearly not about to accept defeat.
“At 19hours 1 minute, Milwaukee SeaWolf rounded the Fastnet and with the finish line and the lights of Mizen Head in sight, the only thing to do was to hang on and go for it. Milwaukee Seawolf raced through an unforgiving sea to cross the line in 19hours 9 minutes and 50 seconds.”
Raymarine’s UK Marketing Manager, Chloe Bartle, said, “Congratulations to Team Pulsar Racing, It’s great to know that Raymarine equipment played a vital part in helping the team achieve the record.”
The team captured the UIM Class 1 Up to 30ft, Irish National & UIM World Record and
UIM Overall Irish National & UIM World Record, which were ratified by the ISA (Irish Sailing Association) and UIM, the governing body for powerboats.
For further information contact Chloe Bartle, UK Marketing Manager, +44 (0)23 9269 3611 Ext. 1395 or chloe.bartle@raymarine.com or Alice Driscoll/James Tuck at ADPR, Tel +44 (0)1460 241641 or Fax +44 (0)1460 242719 or by email at james@adpr.co.uk This text can be downloaded from www.adpr.co.uk
For high res images: Please contact Swan Gan at Raymarine +44 (0)23 9269 3611 x1170 – swan.gan@raymarine.com for a password to Raymarine’s Asset Management System (AMS). This provides access to all Raymarine images and product data.
September 2009 (RM636)
