Round the world in 65 days - on vegetable oil

Earthrace can suck water into its bow to help cut through waves. Picture / Greg Bowker

It cost $3 million to build, runs on vegetable oil, and conquers high waves by filling itself with water, but skipper Peter Bethune is confident his 24m racing boat will get him around the world in record time.

Mr Bethune is currently putting Earthrace through sea trials around Auckland's Waitemata Harbour in preparation for a March 2007 assault on the world record for power boat circumnavigation of the globe.

He hopes to speed his way from Barbados to Barbados - via the Panama and Suez Canals - in 65 days, slicing 10 days from the existing record.

There will be a number of stops along the way, which is probably a good thing as Earthrace has no shower. It does, however, boast a $10,000 Italian toilet.

Earthrace's other high-end features include the ability to run on bio-diesel fuels made from fish or vegetable oil, or animal fat, and wave-piercing technology originally developed by the US military.

In order to scythe through the sea, water can be pumped into Earthrace's bow, so it can smack through waves rather over them.

The Kumeu-built boat is undergoing trials to sort out mechanical and electrical faults, but once fully ship-shape should reach speeds up to 40 knots (about 75km/h).

Mr Bethune rates his chances of accomplishing the record-breaking run as it is normally "fat cats" who make such attempts, in boats not purpose-built as Earthrace is.

Mr Bethune, a former oil exploration engineer, first became interested in alternative fuels as a student in Australia.

A career spent in the oil fields of the world soon convinced him of their importance.

"One of the reasons I have a lot of belief in this is because I have a lot of belief in the limitations of our fossil fuel reserves."

He has been working on the Earthrace project full-time for the past 18 months, and reckons the opportunity to promote alternative fuels in such a high-profile way was too good to pass up. Even if it was an expensive one.

"I am doing something I believe in. If I go looking at my bank account now I would be lucky to have $50 in it. But if I could make a small difference in raising peoples' awareness that probably would be worth it."

Earthrace will be open for public viewings at the Viaduct this weekend before heading off around New Zealand.

It is due to make a promotional visit to the United States about July, with the world-record attempt scheduled to start in March next year.


Earthrace
* Length: 24m.
* Top speed: 40 knots (about 75km/h).
* Fuel: Fish or vegetable oil.