Ocean 7 Adventurer

The Ocean 7 Adventurer is a unique high-tech 35 m (115 ft) stabilized monohull twin diesel powered vessel designed by Nigel Irens. Construction of the "Adventurer" began in June 1997 and she was launched on March 16, 1998. The official naming ceremony took place on 3 April 1998 in London's West India Dock.

Originally named the Cable and Wireless Adventurer she was built for the purpose of circumnavigating the world in less than 80 days. This was successfully accomplished in July 1998 in 74 days, 20 hours, 58 minutes, traveling more than 22,600 nautical miles (41,800 km). Among the crew, Doctor Melinda Brecknell, A British doctor who has embarked on many other adventures, including treating the poor in Costa Rica and the rich in Singapore. This achievement set a new Guiness World Record for a powered vessel. However, on June 27, 2008 Earthrace, the biodiesel powered wave-piecing trimaran, set a new world record when it docked at the Vulkan shipyard in Sagunto, Spain after completing a circumnavigation in just 60 days 23 hours and 49 minutes. This means that the record set by the Ocean 7 Adventurer in 1998 was beaten by 13 days 21 hours and 9 minutes.

The design of the vessel was evaluated and proven by hydrodynamic tank testing and a 21.3m scale prototype named the "iLAN Voyager" completed sea trials to demonstrate the advantages of the concept.

The "Adventurer" is equipped with mostly British-designed, state-of-the-art navigation and communications equipment.

In 2007 the vessel was acquired by Ocean 7, a Cape Town based marine brokerage and charter operation. The vessel was recommissioned and transferred to its current location at the V&A Waterfront. The vessel is available for charter, film work and the occasional marine rescue operation.

In December 2007 the "Ocean 7 Adventurer" was chartered to retrieve a demasted yacht, the "IMOCA 60 Delta Dore" from the Southern Ocean. The "Delta Dore" was partaking in the Barcelona World Race. The yacht skippered by Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet was at position 47°00 S 033° 25 E, nearly a thousand miles south east from South Africa, drifting slowly at between 1 and 2 knots east. An hour after the mast had collapsed backwards, it had to be cut free and dumped into the ocean, as it was likely to damage the hull. The yacht had 188 litres of diesel on board, but this was insufficient to motor back to the mainland. The Ocean 7 team were approached with regard to salvaging the yacht. Skippered by co-owner David de Villiers, the "Ocean 7 Adventurer" set sail for the Southern Ocean and after locating the yacht, it was taken in tow with a 200 m rope. This rescue set a record for the longest tow in South African maritime history (850 nm).

During early June 2008 the "Adventurer" moved to the east coast of South Africa to observe the annual sardine run, after which it relocated to the southern end of Madagascar in July in search of waves amongst the reefs where the vessel was used as a live-aboard base for surfers and kite surfers. During September the "Adventurer" explored the Baron Islands off the Madagascar coast before returning to its base at the V&A Waterfront for the summer season, where it is available for day charters, specialised trips and functions.

Earlier in the year it was repainted in Rat Race Media graphics and is the star of a new TV series on kykNET, "Aqua X". The series will start in October 2008 and will air until January 2009.

pecifications

External links

* http://ocean7.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=49
* http://ocean-adventurer.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=27
* http://www.solarnavigator.net/history/cable_and_wireless.htm
* http://www.nigelirens.demon.co.uk/FRAMEpower.htm
* http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=98199
* http://www.earthrace.net
* http://www.ratsport.co.za/adventurer%20webpage/