Professional adventurers Hugo and Ross Turner are preparing to attempt a 650-nautical-mile hydrofoil speed record from Land’s End to John O’Groats aboard the Mantaray M25.
The “Project Wake Up” challenge is expected to take around 38 hours, with the Turner Twins planning refuelling and supply stops at Holyhead in Wales and Oban on Scotland’s west coast.
The 1,200km passage will be made aboard a Mantaray M25 hydrofoil powered by a 100hp Suzuki outboard, and the project will also test a fuel containing sustainable components over an extended high-speed marine passage.
Hydrofoil technology
The M25 uses a fully mechanical, self-stabilising hydrofoil system which lifts the hull above the water to reduce drag.
The boat is expected to reach speeds of up to 35mph, while its Suzuki engine incorporates a lean-burn system intended to reduce fuel consumption when running continuously at cruising speed.
On The Foils — The Mantaray M25 lifts clear of the water on its mechanical hydrofoil system, designed to reduce drag during the Turner Twins’ 38-hour Length of Britain challenge
The record attempt will use SUSTAIN C70 racing fuel, a blend containing second-generation biomass derived from sources including food and agricultural waste, straw and other non-food by-products.
“This challenge takes our technology out of the showroom and puts it into the demanding real-world conditions it was designed for,” Mantaray Hydrofoil Craft chief executive Karl Brodin said.
Hugo Turner said the project would provide an opportunity to test both the hydrofoil and alternative fuel technology under real-world conditions.
“Project Wake Up is about setting a new hydrofoil record using the latest technology, but it’s also an opportunity to educate people about sustainable fuels, their application and how they perform with existing engines,” he said.
Simrad marine electronics will provide navigation and situational-awareness equipment for the passage, while Gill is supplying technical clothing for the crew.
“The Length of Britain route is an incredible challenge and doing it with the Mantaray M25 adds another level of complexity,” Ross Turner said.
Round Isle of Wight attempt
The twins also plan a separate speed-record attempt around the Isle of Wight aboard the M25. The project organisers say their target is the 1 hour 56 minute time recorded by Sir Ben Ainslie aboard BAR Technologies’ SpiritBARTech 35EF hydrofoil.
Long Haul — The Mantaray M25 underway between rocky shores ahead of a 650-nautical-mile record attempt from Land’s End to John O’Groats
The Royal Yacht Squadron is due to act as official timekeeper, with the attempt starting and finishing off the Cowes club. Ireland also has a long history of offshore record passages, with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s pioneering 1986 Round Ireland record aboard British Airways I.
