[PCW] Earthrace trimaran having rough ride financially

[Georgs Kolesnikovs]

 From The New York Times:

A Boat Racing on Biodiesel, but Running Low on Money

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 23 - In early July, Pete Bethune, an amateur 
sailor from New Zealand and a recent convert to environmentalism, 
stepped aboard his new $2.4 million speedboat, filled up the tank 
with a fuel made from animal fat and headed east from Auckland.

His goal was simple: to complete the fastest circumnavigation of the 
globe in a motorboat while using nothing but biodiesel, renewable 
fuel that can be made with salvaged French fry grease, refined 
soybean oil and other organic and recycled oils. The record attempt 
is due to start in March, from Barbados, after a North American tour 
this fall meant to test and publicize the boat - called the Earthrace 
- and raise money.

"I thought I'd have a sponsor give me $4 million and bankroll the 
whole thing," said Mr. Bethune, 41. "And I still believe that."

But somewhere between Hawaii (where the boat refueled on biodiesel 
made from the drippings of cruise liners' deep fryers) and Vancouver 
(where it loaded up with fuel made from tallow, drawn from the hard 
fat of sheep and cattle), the Earthrace almost ran out of gas - at 
least financially.

For more, go

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/us/24grease.html

--Georgs
-- 
Georgs Kolesnikovs
   Power Catamaran World
   http://www.powercatamaranworld.com