Yachting: No surprise as NZ-built boat sets world record

By JULIE ASH

Cheyenne's record-breaking circumnavigation of the globe came as no surprise to Auckland boat builder Mick Cookson, who reckons the New Zealand-built catamaran should have done it years ago.

American adventurer Steve Fossett and his 38m maxi-catamaran are the first to complete a circuit of the globe in under 60 days, beating the previous record by almost six days.

Fossett and his crew of 12, which included New Zealanders Fraser Brown and Mike Beasley, crossed the finish line off Brittany, France, after 58 days, nine hours, 32 minutes and 45 seconds at sea.

Their time was five days, 23 hours, four minutes and 39 seconds faster than that of Frenchman Bruno Peyron and his boat Orange two years ago.

Designed by American multi-hull architects Gino Morrelli and Pete Melvin, Cheyenne is built entirely of carbon fibre and was the first of a new class of 30m-plus multihulls designed to tackle ocean records.

Cookson Boats of New Zealand, builders of many world championship-winning boats and Team New Zealand's America's Cup boats in 2000 and 2003, made the original 32m catamaran, which was launched in Auckland in 1998.

On its first offshore outing, the yacht, then named PlayStation, broke the 24-hour speed record.

The round-the-world attempt is Fossett's second after he was forced to withdraw with gear failure from The Race in 2001, won by New Zealander Grant Dalton on Club Med.

Just before The Race, a non-stop round-the-world event, Cheyenne's hulls were extended by 6m in Southampton.

"In sea trialling it proved . . . better being longer," Cookson said.

"The boat was always capable of [breaking the round-the-world speed record] even in its original form."

For Fossett, the record is a dream come true, although the attempt nearly ended when a failed forestay almost brought down the 45m mast early in the bid.

"When we started out I thought the chance was 50-50 that we would get around," Fossett said.

"Then I wondered that the boat might not be fast enough.

"Everyone is just so happy, we are all emotionally drained."

Fossett holds 10 of the 13 world speed sailing records, and made the first solo round-the-world manned balloon flight in 2002.

He now plans to fly non-stop round the world and break the glider world altitude record.

Record run

Cheyenne: 58 days, nine hours, 32 minutes, 45 seconds.

Orange: 64 days, eight hours, 37 minutes, 24 seconds.