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Teen Sailor to Highlight 'Alternatives to Fossil Fuel Boats' While Attempting Round UK World Record

7th February 2023
A teenage student, Harry Besley is planning to travel on an 'electric' rigid inflatble boat  (RIB) to locations with a 'Round Britain' tour to promote alternative to fossil-fuelled boats. The project calls to accelerate the need for eBoat charging and for the industry to invest in appropriate boat designs.
A teenage student, Harry Besley is planning to travel on an 'electric' rigid inflatble boat (RIB) to locations with a 'Round Britain' tour to promote alternative to fossil-fuelled boats. The project calls to accelerate the need for eBoat charging and for the industry to invest in appropriate boat designs. Credit: ManxRadio-facebook

A student is to visit the Isle of Man as part of a Round Britain tour using an 'electric' rigid inflatable boat (RIB) rather than a traditional outboard engine.

The tour will be a World Record attempt to travel around the UK on the electric RIB.

The student is 16-year-old Harry Harry Besley from Somerset, who is planning to travel to locations throughout the UK on the electric boat (eBoat) in which he believes the trip will be ‘massively beneficial’.

The project calls for the need to accelerate the rate of change in the boating industry, both in terms of available eBoat charging. In addition for the desire of the industry to invest in appropriate boat designs.

With limited fast eBoat charging available boat manufacturers are reluctant to bring new products to market; with limited customers, harbours and ports are wary to invest in upgrading their charging infrastructure. 

Besley wants to break this cycle and when he's 17, he is to undertake the challenge this summer.

The student is to call to Isle of Man (Port St. Mary) after a stop in Wales (Holyhead) he told Manx Radio and is keen to prove the capability of such vessels.

(Click here to listen to audio clips)

As for an exact date for his journey, this has not been set, however it's thought it will take somewhere between three and four weeks.

For further information on the Harry Besley's Round Britain / Electric RIB challenge (click here) to support the project and the role of sponsorship. 

Afloat adds the tour of the UK will also include ports in Wales and also Portavogie in Co. Down and Larne and Ballycastle in neighbouring Co. Antrim. 

Published in Isle of Man
Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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