Team Hibernia have smashed the Round Ireland Powerboat Record by taking six hours off the long–standing 2009 time. The high speed voyage which began at 5am this morning was not without its hazards. Were it not for fog and a patch of bad weather, skipper John Ryan believes he could have shaved a further 45 minutes off the seven year record.
Crossing the finish line off Kinsale just after 6pm this evening the four man crew finished in just under 13 hours in a time of 12 hours 54 minutes and 24 seconds.
Crew for the boat included Philip Fitzgibbon, the existing record holder, who has now smashed his own record by over five and a half hours. Fitzgibbon, however continues to retain the record in the under 30–ft category. Also onboard were Sean McNamara and Denis Dillon.
Record breakers – Team Hibernia has set a new Round Ireland Powerboat record. Photo: Afloat.ie
There were tracker problems on the Atlantic coast but there's no denying Team Hibernia's accurate Irish sea track to a new Round Ireland Powerboat record this evening.
There was added drama as they cruised along the south coast this afternoon with a fuel problem but it did not threaten what has been a text book run for the forty–footer that raced at 65 mph for most of the journey.
There was one reufeling stop at Malin Head on the north coast, approximately the halfway stage of the 700–mile circumnavigation. The crew took onboard a massive 1400 litres for the trip south.
Twin diesels powered the craft round Ireland
The boat used is an FPT turbo diesel powered @ 1140 hp, 44' all aluminium, that has a 100 mph top speed with 650–mile range.
A relieved Ryan admits to being 'sore' tonight after nursing a cracked rib for the entire journey, 'It's amazing what eight Nurofen will do', he told Afloat.ie
See all of Afloat's Round Ireland Powerboat coverage here
