Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has welcomed the newest event on the Scottish racing calendar. For, in June 2016, the P1 Powerboat Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea will be hosted in Inverclyde.

To celebrate, a specially designed Inverclyde branded boat has been unveiled in Greenock by First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, Provost Robert Moran and RI chairman Gerry McCarthy at James Watt Dock Marina.

The boat, which will race in the first ever Scottish Grand prix of the Sea next June, will also race during the rest of the P1 Powerboat calendar in 2016 at Scarborough, Gosport, Cardiff and Bournemouth.

The First Minister said: “This major event will attract tens of thousands of powerboat racing fans to Inverclyde, an area with a rich maritime history.

“Visitors to the area are guaranteed a friendly welcome and the event is expected to bring significant benefits to the local economy.

“The River Clyde will provide a magnificent backdrop for all the races, which will be broadcast live on TV across the UK.”

Inverclyde Council will host the event jointly with regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde.

Inverclyde, Provost, Robert Moran, said: “The P1 Powerboat is an exhilarating event and it is a great honour that Inverclyde is able to bring the Grand Prix of the Sea to Scotland for the very first time. The new Inverclyde branded boat will race in the waters of the Clyde and across the UK to help to showcase Inverclyde and Scotland. With the huge number of cruise ship passengers visiting Scotland through Greenock, our two major marinas, the wealth of water based activities, Scotland’s Boat Show at Kip Marina each October and the powerboat event next June, Inverclyde can truly lay claim to the title of marine leisure capital of Scotland.”

Riverside Inverclyde Chair, Gerry McCarthy, said: “Doesn’t the Inverclyde branded boat look superb? It’s designed to attract the interest of visitors and businesses alike to area, and get people talking about Inverclyde. Remember this event gets broadcast into 400 million homes around the world. I’m really looking forward to 18th and 19th June. I’m a big fan of Formula 1 Grand Prix, so having a Grand Prix of the Sea at Greenock’s Esplanade is really exciting – especially when there is an Inverclyde boat we can cheer on. I’m sure the people of Inverclyde and beyond will give this first ever Scottish Grand Prix of the Sea great support. Riverside Inverclyde is proud to be able to present this event as co-hosts with Inverclyde Council”

The P1 Powerboat and Jet Ski national championships will be staged in Greenock’s Esplanade on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 June 2016. The event will be hosted by Inverclyde Council and regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde (ri).

The Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea is an international high profile event that has never been held in Scotland. UK championships have been held in England and Wales.

Powerboat P1 is the world’s leading marine motorsport promoter, successfully staging more than 200 events in 17 countries on three continents since 2003.

And, as part of the wider promotion of tourism in Inverclyde, tourism related businesses will have the opportunity to showcase themselves on the Esplanade with a planned ‘mile-long Inverclyde Showcase’ accompanying the event.

The events are shown on Sky Sports in HD.

If next year’s event is successful, Council and regeneration bosses have pledged to examine the event with the option of hosting in 2017 and 2018.

Ireland have finished third overall at the P750 World Championships been held in Malta at the weekend. The top 4 places were divided by only two points. Team Ireland finished second in the circuit and following on from their first in the Surf and seventh in the long haul left them third overall and in Bronze medal place for the World Championships.

'Well done to the team who put in a massive effort to represent Ireland at these World championships', said the Irish Powerboat organisation's Denis Dillon.

#powerboatchallenge – The winning Team of the ISA Powerboat Challenge 2014 at Lough Ree Yacht Club went to North Shannon Powerboat School. The school entered two teams in to the challenge with nick names of "Leitrim" and "Roscommon" and the Roscommon gang came up trumps with a 3.5 point lead on 24th Galway Sea Scouts, who had previously won the past two years. Home team Lough Ree Yacht Club came in at a close third place.

28 entrants in 7 teams were at the ISA National Powerboat Championship at Lough Ree Yacht Club on Saturday 1st November. Teams arrived from Irish Sailing Association clubs and training centres in Roscommon, Galway, Wicklow, Leitrim, Bray to compete against a home team from Lough Ree in a challenge of powerboat safety boat skills. There were no high speed manoeuvres on the agenda for the day, just boat control challenges in circumstances experienced in sailing schools and clubs on a daily basis. All a bit like a driving test afloat, but with a team and against the elements.

Challenges for each team were General Boat Handling, Coming Along Side, Picking Up a Mooring, Right an Inverted Dinghy (with no crew) and Lee Shore Landing. Conditions deteriorated as the day continued, with heavy rain and cold winds adding an extra edge to the tasks for all teams, but spirits didn't dampen though and each team rose the challenge. Judges were not only looking at the skills and techniques of their manoeuvres, but also communication and overall team work, so a helm may have performed a manoeuvre perfectly, but poor team communication would reflect in their total score, because to be a truly competent powerboater you need to communicate well with your crew.

Dennis Dillon was the creator of the Powerboat Challenge in 2009 (originally known as the ISA Rib Challenge) and came down to lend a hand on the day, he commented "What stood out most of all is the involvement of the youth and their dedication in this year's challenge. They had trained and their powerboat control skills were excellent." Each team must have two youths aged between 12 and 17 and they are an integral part of the team working as helm, as well as crew. The overall aim of the challenge is to embody the knowledge of safe use of powerboats to young drivers.

A new award of Best Lady Powerboater was presented this year to Linda Laird of North Shannon Powerboat School (Leitrim) and Best Overall Powerboater was presented to Stan Bradbury of Lough Ree Yacht Club, and the local RNLI, for his exceptional communication, coaching and team work.

Full final results are as follows

North Shannon Powerboat School Team 1 Roscommon 82 points
Galway Sea Scouts 78.5 points
Lough Ree Yacht Club 78 points
Wicklow Sailing Club 76.5 points
North Shannon Powerboat School Team 2 Leitrim 67.5 points
Bray Sailing Club Team 1 67 points
Bray Sailing Club Team 2 64 points

Team Details

#powerboat – British ocean powerboat racing legend, Alan Priddy, will this week launch a £2.9 million round the world record bid in a new torpedo Eco-boat powered by a revolutionary fuel emulsion that slashes harmful emissions.

Mr Priddy hopes to shave up to seven days off the current powerboat record of 60 days 23 hours 49 minutes, held by New Zealander Pete Bethune. He will make the formal announcement at the Fathom Ship Efficiency Conference, in London on Wednesday, 1st October.

The boat will pierce the waves like a torpedo, rather than surfing them, with its super-efficient design, a variant of the "fast displacement hull". This reduces fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent, and should also make the 24,000 mile trip smoother than a voyage in a conventional hulled boat.

Inside the boat will be the latest radar, safety and communications equipment from Raymarine and Iridium Communications.

The vessel will be powered by a revolutionary fuel emulsion, a mixture of diesel, water and emulsifier, which when burnt reduces harmful emissions such as particulate matter and Nitrous Oxides.

The British company behind the emulsion, SulNOx Fuel Fusions, claim that they have cracked the problem of stratification that has blighted this technology in the past. They say that by smashing ordinary fuel and water together repeatedly and under great pressure they can alter the size of the fuel particles at a nano level. To further stabilise this mixture an emulsifying agent is added. This they say has created the first safe, reliable and cost-effective fuel emulsion which will be used to power the boat as part of a million pound deal.

The effects of the emulsified fuel on the engines and the emissions will be monitored for the duration of the voyage and the results published online.

Mr Priddy commented: "This project is the culmination of a lifetime's work that I hope will highlight the amazing qualities and skills that we have in abundance in our country - the best sailors, engineers, boat builders and designers. This is why when we started this project six years ago, we called ourselves Team Britannia.

"Given last week's referendum that saw the real prospect of our country being broken up, this name seems all the more appropriate today. I hope it serves as reminder of what this country has and can still achieve."

The Team hopes to start building the boat early next year and set off on the historic voyage in November 2015, when the weather conditions will be just right.

The 80ft vessel, built out of marine grade aluminium, will be launched in late spring to allow it to complete its sea trials. It has not been named yet, but Mr Priddy says they are in talks with potential sponsors about this and hope to make an announcement in the New Year.

Mr Priddy continued: "Our first attempt at building a boat came to an abrupt end in 2012 when a fire at an adjoining factory damaged the structural integrity of the hull - but we learnt from this setback, thanks to Professor Cripps' improved design. With the addition of SulNOx, we have a boat that will not just break the world record, but will do it cleaner and greener than anyone else."

To complete the record attempt the boat must pass through the Suez and Panama Canals, cross the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, and start and finish in the same place. The world record authorities UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique) have approved Team Britannia's proposed route, which will start in Gibraltar and call at Puerto Rico, Acapulco, Honolulu, Guam, Singapore, Oman and Malta to take on fuel.

The boat will be crewed by a team of eight, including Mr Priddy and his second in command Dr Jan Falkowski, who will be responsible for the physical and mental health of the crew.

Mr Priddy also hopes to offer a place on each leg of the epic voyage to injured servicemen or women from the Royal British Legion, or service charity BLESMA (British Limbless Ex-Serviceman Association).

He concluded: "We have the finest maritime designers, builders and sailors in the world. The British boat Cable & Wireless Adventurer first set the round the world powerboat record in 1998 and held it for nearly a decade. When this record, the pinnacle of powerboating was lost to the New Zealand boat Earthrace, I knew we had an amazing opportunity to once again showcase the best of British. To show why our marine industry is still the best.

"Team Britannia aims to do just that. It brings together just a few of the people who make Britain and our marine sector great."

#powerboat – The Cowes Torquay Powerboat Race is the toughest powerboat race in the world. The stretch of water between the Solent and Devon Coast has long been regarded as one mean piece of water.

It's reputation however for punishing boats and crew, and crushing even the most prepared teams has been somewhat subdued for the last two years as the south west coast of Britain has turned on spectacular weather with much calmer seas and gentler breezes than the racers are used to.

The question on everyone's lips was; 'Who would have thought this was possible?'

South West England provided yet another stonking day, a day suited for fast racing and spectacular viewing. After the recent bad weather the sunshine and clear skies were a welcome relief. We received reports from Torquay that the sea was as flat as a billiard table, and fast times would be possible. Back at Cowes the situation was similar with a light breeze and little wave activity.

Tim Powell, a 29 year veteran organiser of the race fired the canons from the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes at 09:00 sharp this morning, setting the fleet on its way as they raced once more from their historical starting point.

Being close to shore the race start was everything that could be hoped for. The air filled with the sound of well-tuned, high powered engines. The fans turned out in force to experience the full spectacle of sight, sound and smell as the fleet powered away down the Solent.

Peter Dredge and Simon Powell got out to a handy lead in 'Vector Martini' and led all the way to Torquay. They were chased hard out of the Solent by 'Smokin Aces' driven by Chris and Nicholas Dodge and 'Silverline' driven by Drew and Ali Langdon, with the rest of the pack chasing hard.
The Ribs 'Hot Lemon V' (D50) and 'Birretta Due' (B41) chased the leaders fiercely, getting very close as the boats rounded Portland. They in turn were pursued by Team Barwood (C7).

It was great to see Preben Sorensen from Norway racing in his Predator 337 SuperSport. Competing for the first time in the Cowes Torquay he ran well on the unfamiliar course finishing eleventh in the first leg.

Both 'Cube 52' and 'Flyin Falcon' withdrew during the first leg and returned to Cowes.

After winning the race to Torquay Peter Dredge commented, "We had a wonderful run. It's really great to be in Torquay. The Vector Martini Boat is going fantastically well and we have had no problems. We're looking forward to turning around for the run back to Cowes. We'll be going downwind and we might even go flat out on the way back."

On the second leg of the race back to Cowes after a clean start in brilliant Torquay sunshine 'Vector Martini' kept their word and led by one and a quarter nautical miles after clearing the Ore Stone turning buoy at Torbay. By Swanage the lead had grown to 4.62 nautical miles and they were to extend this even further by the end of the race. They were clocked racing into the Solent at 83 knots so it was no wonder 'Vector Martini' crossed the finish line at Cowes to a salvo from the canons at the Royal Yacht Squadron and a cheering crowd.

'Smokin' Aces' took second place on the return journey with 'Team Barwood,' who were competing in their first Cowes Torquay Race, taking a well-deserved third place.

With the tail wind adding to the fast conditions and full on racing on the return journey it was not surprising that two teams made navigational errors on their way back to Cowes. Both Black Ball Racing and Predator 337 SuperSport incurred a one hour time penalty for missing buoys.

After the race Preben Sorensen from Norway commented that it was great race but a bit rougher than they expected. They really enjoyed the hospitality but would need to come back with a bigger boat for next years race.

When congratulated on his double win by Dorian Griffith the Race Director, Peter Dredge of 'Vector Martini' said they had enjoyed the race very much and were delighted with the performance of their boat.

And so concludes another fantastic event on a magnificent summer's day. The crowds came out in their thousands to make the most of the spectacle, lining the vantage points and headlands along the way and visiting the pits at both ends of the race to see the colourful noisy beasts up close. The drivers were once again amazed at the number of spectator boats that made the effort to come out to watch the racing, toot their horns and cheer as the boats went past.

Everyone would have to agree it was magnificent to see the boats racing once more from their historical starting point in the Solent and we look forward to another exciting event from the same place next year.

Provisional Results Leg One

1st - Vector Martini

2nd - Smokin Aces

3rd - Silverline

4th - Hot lemon

5th - Biretta Due

6th - Team Barwood

7th - Black Ball racing

8th - Dry Martini

9th - Fugitive

10th - Grey Ghost

11th - Predator 337 Supersport

12th - HTS Perkins

DNF - Cube 52

DNF - Flyin Falcon

Provisional Results Leg Two

1st - Vector Martini

2nd - Smokin Aces

3rd - Team Barwood

4th - Biretta Due

5th - Hot Lemon V

6th - Dry Martini

7th - Grey Ghost

8th - Fugitive

9th - Silverline

10th - HTS Perkins

11th - Black Ball Racing

12th - Predator 337 Supersport

#motorboat – A fun filled weekend to enjoy boating in one of the most picturesque locations in Western Europe that's how Dromquinna Manor is billing its 2014 Motor Boat Weekend that takes place on the May Bank Holiday Weekend, May 2nd-5th. 

The free event offers a host of activities from renowned guest speakers to adventure challenges all in the company of fellow boaters.

Alan Priddy, the powerboat adventurer, who has set several boating world records will talk about his circumnavigation of the world by RIB.

Schedule below: 

Saturday May 3rd

11am
Lets Talk Engines
With Kevin from Marine Motors Cork.

12pm
Safety at sea
Use of flares and safety equipment.

1.30pm
Briefing

2pm
Treasure Hunt and Poker Run on Kenmare Bay

8pm
Boaters Evening at Shutters on the Pier Dromquinna

Presentation and talk with Alan Priddy
Alan is a British power boat sailor and adventurer who has set several boating world records. Alan circumnavigated the world in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat and is currently spearheading the first Great Britain Vs USA Powerboat World Record Circumnavigation.

9pm
Waterfront screening of Perfect Storm
Fork Supper and film €30
Proceeds to Derrynane Inshore Rescue

Sunday May 4th

10.30am Bull Run Briefing

11am
The Bull Run for Fun
The Annual Bull Run for Fun departs to the Bull Rock. The 74 nautical mile cruise to the famous landmark in the Atlantic is the highlight of the weekend and a real adventure for all. The majestic rock awaits in all its glory and leaves lasting memories of a day/weekend of true boating enjoyment.

7.30pm
Party & Prize giving at Shutters on the Pier

#HowthYC - Howth Yacht Club will soon be hosting an ISA-sanctioned powerboating course for beginner youths in mid-May ahead of a certification course at the end of the month.

The 'introduction to powerboat' course runs on the weekend of 18-19 May and is open to all club members aged between 14 and 20.

Members who complete this course would be at an advantage going on to the national powerboat qualification course on the weekend of 25-26 May, which is open for club members aged 16 to 20.

Both courses commence at 9.30am each day.

Application forms are available from the Howth Yacht Club website and must be returned by Thursday 16 May.

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI went to the assistance of two people whose powerboat got into difficulty off the Balbriggan coast in north Co Dublin yesterday.

Shortly after 6pm last night (Tuesday 19 February) the station’s volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch after the alarm was raised by gardaí that a 4-metre speed boat was in difficulty just off Hampton Cove in Balbriggan.


The boat, which was approximately three miles out from Skerries, had fouled its propeller.

Weather conditions at the time were described as cold and dusk was settling into dark.

The 
Skerries RNLI crew put to sea accompanied in the air by the Irish Coast Guard helicopter, which had been on exercise locally.

Arriving on scene, it became apparent that the two people on board had managed to paddle their boat safely to the shoreline. The 
Skerries lifeboat crew proceeded to tow the speedboat back safely to Balbriggan Harbour.

#venturecup – 2,400 miles of the very toughest conditions which the ocean can muster up, forcing teams to crash mercilessly through wave after relentless wave for hours on end over 15 days. This is the Venture Cup, the world's longest, toughest and most prestigious powerboat race, where technical excellence, bravery and courage join forces to do battle against the elements. This is a powerboat race of epic proportions featuring multi-leg, multi-day, multi-country racing for boats capable of competing in ultra-marathon events .....an event which The Sunday Telegraph in England recently declared the "return of the ultimate glamour race"

The Venture Cup is specifically designed to appeal to mainstream audiences, and in the past this would have been an impossible task. With the racing taking place miles out to sea it's never going to be a 'spectator sport' - outside of pit areas and finishing lines - but modern technology means that it can be a 'consumed sport' where all of the excitement can be brought directly to fans wherever they may be. As a sporting event in the mainstream this race isn't about boats, or horsepower, drives, legs and propellors ....it's about adventure, challenge, risk and reward, bravery and achievement.

The crews of the ultra-endurance Venture Cup will be forced to hammer across, through and sometimes under the waves in a brutal, bone-shaking marathon that will often last more than 5 hours a day, every day, pushing men and their machines to the limit. Boats and crews alike will experience ankle-smashing and hull-snapping forces in excess of 30g, with hearts beating at 150+ bpm, hour after hour, wave after wave. The organisers will be bringing all of this exhilarating action to consumers in a dynamic way, virtually putting them in the boat with the crews, to experience the tension, drama, and excitement each day brings.

In a few weeks time we'll be hosting a major mainstream media launch in London, and in advance of that we're now bringing our story to the marine-leisure sector.

Background
Recent years have seen a number of high-profile offshore powerboat races and series cancelled for a variety of reasons, and the race-teams associated with these events came together for a meeting at the London Boat Show in January of this year to see if there was a better way to move the sport forward. The outcome of that meeting has seen the establishment of an entirely new structure which combines some of the very biggest and best names in powerboat racing with some highly experienced international event professionals. This new approach has already yielded some major successes and the organisers are fully confident that the Venture Cup will fulfill its potential of becoming not only a top-end powerboat racing name, but a major international sports property. Racing will be conducted with the full support and oversight of both the UK national authority (RYA) and the sport's global governing body (UIM).

2013: Venture Cup Prologue

On June 8th of 2013 the Venture Cup Prologue will set off from Tower Bridge in central London to begin a 750 nautical mile, 4-day, 3-country adventure. This prologue is designed to allow us to test crews, boats, officials, processes and technologies in advance of the big race in 2014. The main race will involve distances and challenges that haven't been faced by anyone in more than forty years, so it's appropriate that we should ensure that all elements are battle-hardened in a prologue event.

2014: Venture Cup Race 1

The first full Venture Cup revisits what many consider the all-time greatest powerboat race, which was run once before in 1972 from London to Monte-Carlo. At 0900 on Saturday the 31st of May 2014, right in the heart of London at Tower Bridge, the inaugural Venture Cup will begin. The following 15 days will see the fleet race over 2,400 miles across treacherous seas, visiting 11 cities in 5 countries.

Future Races

The main Venture Cup race will run every two years. At present the following routes are under active consideration:

- New York to Miami
- Abu Dhabi to Mumbai
- Cowes to St. Petersburg
- Tokyo to Hong Kong
- Belem to Rio de Janeiro

Race in the Venture Cup
Entries are currently being taken for both the 2013 Prologue and the full race in 2014, with many major international teams already on board. Aside from a world-class adventure, there are considerable supports available to entrants. If you've a team that would like to know more about entering, or if you're interested in finding out how to get a seat in one of the boats, please send an email to [email protected]

Environmental Responsibility
The Venture Cup is exciting, ambitious and new - as are our environmental objectives. We will build in all the possible safeguards we can and we will also learn along the journey and get cleaner and greener as we go. To aid our learning we will set up comprehensive monitoring systems and carry out research on environmental aspects that aren't fully understood. We will work with the best academics, environmentalists and institutes and we will share our learning. As we race across different parts of the world, we will adapt our activities to meet the local and national environmental requirements and we will always be conscious of our cumulative as well as our direct impact. We will encourage efficient use of materials in the design of boats and we will help drive new engine designs with innovative clean technology and we will give awards to the best exponents. The environmental credentials of the Venture Cup are not a green wash, afterthought or an added extra, they are at the start and heart of the adventure and we expect to be judged accordingly.
Our Ocean
We know that the oceans are the key component in the 'earth system' , not only do they provide 50% of the air that we breathe but they are also play a fundamental role in the carbon, nutrient, thermohaline and water cycles. The Venture Cup will invest in this asset for now and the future.
Carbon
We will calculate and offset the carbon used during the race, but this is not enough. We are developing methodologies to measure as much of the peripheral activity that surrounds the race and we will be constantly seeking ways of reducing our footprint.

Habitats and Species
We will take every feasible step to avoid disturbing the wildlife of our estuaries, coasts an oceans by carefully plotting our course in conjunction with the relevant conservation authorities. If we have to go around we will, if we have to slow down we will and at all times we will watch and learn.
Racing Green
The Venture Cup will comply or exceed the environmental rules laid down by the sport's governing bodies. Environmental aspects of these rules include:
- Air quality
- Noise levels
- Waste reduction, recycling and disposal
- Refueling, washing and servicing
- Contamination risks from fuel, oil and other fluids

Economic Innovation
The advanced technologies required to build modern powerboats directly feeds into the production of mainstream, military and rescue boats. Therefore, The Venture Cup represents an economic force for change that will raise engineering skills and provide jobs and growth in the marine sector. We will also carry out unique and much needed research for example we will study the impact on high speed hulls and humans. This research element is currently being led by industry-pioneer Dr. Johan Ullman. In addition to the research element of the race, many of our teams are building completely new boats for this challenge - some in excess of €1 million. This is a significant investment in the marine sector at a time of widespread doom and gloom.

Social Responsibility
Most water based sports properties carry little or nothing to encourage new people on to the water. In contrast, right across all of our public-facing activity we will activity inform, engage and encourage new people to get out on the water and enjoy all of the associated health and well-being benefits. We will respect the people and communities where we race and whilst we will may not arrive unnoticed we will always depart as friends

Further Information
Anyone seeking further information on Venture Cup racing, partnering or any other related item can contact the organisers on [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Additional information is also available at:
Event website: www.ventureoffshorecup.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ventureoffshorecup.com

#boataccident – Clearly aware of the camera's presence, a day out on the water turned to tragedy in a horrific boating crash on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri in the United States last week for one American family. All seven boaters were injured in the incident, according to LakeTV.

The footage shows the passengers being thrown back-and-forth like rag dolls after the family's powerboat plows into a large wake at high speed.

Five were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor to moderate injuries.