My Ady Gil (formerly Earthrace) was a 78-foot (24 m),
wave-piercing trimaran, which was originally created as part of a project to
break the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a powerboat. The
vessel was powered by biodiesel fuel, but was also capable of running on regular
diesel fuel. It used other eco-friendly materials, such as vegetable oil
lubricants, hemp composites, and non-toxic anti-fouling, and had features such
as bilge water filters.
The first attempt at the global circumnavigation record in
2007 was ill-fated. The boat several times encountered mechanical problems, and
collided with a Guatemalan fishing boat, killing one of the other boat's crew.
While the crew of the Earthrace was later absolved of any responsibility, the
delay forced the restart of the record attempt, while more mechanical issues
later aborted it. In 2008, the second journey proved successful—though again,
numerous technical problems had to be overcome before the record was achieved,
with the vessel finally making the return to Sagunto, Spain after just under 61
days on June 27, 2008.
In late 2009, it was announced that the boat, now repainted
black and named Ady Gil, would be participating in anti-whaling operations
under the lead of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. During operations in
the Southern Ocean, the vessel and the Japanese whaling support vessel MV
Shōnan Maru 2 collided on January 6, 2010, resulting in loss of the Ady Gil's
bow and one injured crew member. Each side blamed the other for causing the
collision, and government agencies are investigating the incident. The crew of
the Ady Gil were removed from the damaged vessel and the salvage operation was abandoned, with
the vessel sinking the next day.
Design
The wave-piercing trimaran design allowed for improved speed
and stability. The boat was fully submersible, able to cut through 15-metre (49
ft) waves and go 7 m (23 ft) underwater. The hull was composed of a composite
carbon fibre and kevlar with a non-toxic anti-fouling paint.
The vessel was powered by two 540 horsepower Cummins
Mercruiser engines that ran on an animal fat and vegetable oil mix biodiesel.
It could be run on diesel, biodiesel or blends. To cool and provide fresh air
to the engines, intakes were located on two dramatic fins. The Ady Gil's twin
propellers were mounted under the main hull, while the rudders were mounted in
the pontoons. This design provided good turning at speed, but limited
maneuverability at speeds below 12 knots. Despite its design as an
"eco-boat", David MacKay calculates that it has significantly greater
energy consumption per passenger-kilometre than a jet-ski or the QE2.
The $2.5 million cost was mostly funded by sponsors, and the
only luxury item aboard was the $10,000 toilet. When asked, "Regrets about
the cost of it all?" skipper Pete Bethune replied, "No...You know, I
do have the coolest boat in the world."
As Earthrace in Hamburg, Germany 2007.
Record attempts
Earthrace was intended to showcase environmentally friendly
technologies. It broke the world record for circumnavigating the globe in a
motorized boat. It set the record in 60 days 23 hours and 49 minutes. This beat
the record of 74 days, 20 hours, 58 minutes set by the Cable and Wireless
Adventurer (then the Ocean 7 Adventurer), in 1998, by 13 days 21 hours and 9
minutes. It is unclear if the circumnavigation was faster than the disputed
time set by the US Navy's USS Triton nuclear-powered submarine during Operation
Sandblast. The time established by Earthrace did not supersede the overall
record set by the 103-ft sailing trimaran Groupama 3 skipped by Franck Cammas
with 48d 7h 44' 52"[3] or the latest 2012 record set by Banque Populaire
V, a 131-ft trimaran skipped by Loïck Peyron, with 45d 13h 42' 53".
2007
The attempt originally departed from Barbados on March 10,
2007 but encountered significant delays including problems with the propellers and
other mechanical issues.
A problem with an engine off Palau caused an 8-day delay
because of the remoteness. On the night of March 19, 2007, while around 22
kilometres (14 mi) offshore from Guatemala, Earthrace collided with a local
fishing boat. No Earthrace crew were hurt, but one of the three crew members
from the fishing boat was never found. The crew was absolved of any
responsibility after a 10-day investigation during which they were held in
custody. The delays prevented Earthrace from completing the circumnavigation in
record time, but because Earthrace took an official start time when leaving San
Diego, the team decided to "restart" with this new start/finish line.
They departed San Diego on April 7, 2007 and needed to return by June 21 to
break the record. However, the attempt was abandoned on May 31, 2007 after a
crack was discovered in the hull shortly after leaving Malaga, Spain.
The biofuel came from a wide range of suppliers and was
derived from various cash crops. Bethune reluctantly had to fall back on
conventional diesel once due to a lack of availability.
The Earthrace on the River Thames, London.
Cockpit of the Earthrace.
A view of the skippers seat.
The crew rest area with eight bunk beds.
2008
After a refit at the Vulkan Shipyard at the Port of Sagunto,
a second attempt on the record began at 14:35 (CET) on April 27, 2008. On board
were Rob Drewett (cameraman), Adam Carlson (navigator), Mark Russel (engineer)
and Bethune (skipper/owner).[28][citation needed] The route for the second
world record attempt and estimated time for each leg was as follows:
Sagunto (Spain) –
Azores: 3 days
Azores – Puerto
Rico: 3 days
Puerto Rico –
Panama: 3 days
Panama –
Manzanillo (Mexico): 3 days
Manzanillo – San
Diego: 3 days.
San Diego –
Hawaii: 5 days
Hawaii – Majuro
(Marshall Islands): 5 days
Majuro – Koror
(Palau): 5 days
Koror – Singapore:
5 days
Singapore – Kochi
(India): 5 days
Kochi – Salalah
(Oman): 4 days
Salalah – Suez
Canal (Egypt): 4 days
Suez Canal –
Sagunto: 4 days
The boat experienced problems with the autopilot two days
after departure, and then on April 30 the lift pump of the starboard engine
became blocked. However, although some time was lost, the boat arrived at the
Azores slightly ahead of schedule for the world record attempt and with all
technical problems apparently solved.
The next two legs went without any major problems and the
crew managed to bypass a big backlog of ships in the Panama Canal. On day 22
about half way to Hawaii, a severe vibration caused them to stop and after
Bethune went under the boat in the dark with a torch to investigate, he
discovered that some nylon netting was entangled in the one prop and had to be
removed.
Shortly after leaving Palau on day 34, Earthrace struck
submerged debris which sheared two blades off the port propeller and bent the
drive shaft. This necessitated a return to Palau in order to assess the damage
and remove the prop. The boat then continued to Singapore on one engine, while
plans were set in motion to manufacture a new drive shaft and obtain another
propeller. Once in Singapore, Earthrace was hoisted from the water in a sling
and repairs were effected on the dockside in record time.
On day 48 the crew were suffering from heat and high
humidity and were all affected by heat rash. At this time they had also
encountered monsoon weather and their speed was much reduced due to mountainous
waves. The heavy seas continued all the way to Oman and beyond before entering
the Red Sea. During this stretch the boat's transponder was damaged and the
marine tracker stopped working. On day 56, en route to Port Suez, the lift pump
malfunctioned, limiting their speed to 16 knots. This required three hours
worth of maintenance to change it.
On Friday June 27, 2008 Earthrace set a new world record for
powered circumnavigation of the globe, when it crossed the finish line at 14:24
CET at Sagunto, Spain.
Cooperation with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
As the Ady Gil, docked for repairs in Hobart, Tasmania in
late 2009, with the new black paint job evoking a 'stealth design', backed by
special radar-scattering paint
Rear of the Ady Gil.
Participation in 'Waltzing Matilda'
It was announced that the Earthrace would accompany Sea
Shepherd in its 2009–10 operations (named 'Waltzing Matilda') against Japanese
whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Bethune said that an agreement
was reached with Sea Shepherd for the boat to adopt a support role.[30] Sea Shepherd
noted that the vessel had been the only one in the fleet fast enough to keep up
with all vessels of the Japanese whaling fleet.
On October 17, 2009, the Earthrace was presented to the
media with a new black paint job, and it was renamed Ady Gil, after the name of
a major sponsor (a Hollywood lighting-equipment magnate who had donated $1
million to the group). The new paint job and futuristic appearance of the boat
itself often evoked comparisons to Batman vehicles and stealth crafts in the media.
4–8 layers of Kevlar were added to protect the hull against
ice with the thickness depending on the location, with all areas under the
waterline getting the extra laminations of kevlar as well as some areas above
the waterline. To reduce its radar profile for the Japanese fleet, the ship was
painted with a paint intended to scatter radar signals and a broadband radar
which has near-zero radar emissions. Despite being referred to as a stealth
craft, the Ady Gil lacks the angles and curvature of form designed to deflect
radar away from the emitter rather than back to them. Other electronics
upgrades included FLIR cameras, Iridium satellite communications as well as an
array of speakers which were intended for communication purposes. Bethune said
that he intended to play songs like Tangaroa from New Zealand musician Tiki
Taane to the whalers, a "growling big sort of a song about the God of the Sea
who looks after us".
Sea Shepherd crew said before the journey that Ady Gil would
not be used as a confrontational vessel like the Steve Irwin. However, Sea
Shepherd leader Paul Watson, President of the Sea Shepherd Conservation
Society, later stated in October 2009 that with a top speed of 50 knots, the
vessel would be used to intercept harpoon ships and physically block them from
harpooning whales, allowing Sea Shepherd to "mount the most ambitious and
aggressive effort to date to obstruct the slaughter of the whales in the
Southern Ocean."
Collision with the Shōnan Maru 2 and abandonment
For the wider response / legal aftermath of the collision,
see Sea Shepherd Conservation Society operations
During the days before the collision, the Ady Gil engaged
Japanese whaling vessels during their hunt. The crew towed ropes in an attempt
to foul the propellers of the Japanese ships and used a spud gun to fire
capsules of foul-smelling butyric acid which taints the whale meat the whalers
get from their hunts.
On January 6, 2010 the vessel was involved in a collision at
sea with the Japanese vessel Shōnan Maru 2, which was engaged in security and support
for the whaling fleet. One Ady Gil crew member, a New Zealand cameraman, sustained
six broken ribs. Crew on three vessels, the Shōnan Maru 2, the Ady Gil, and the
MY Bob Barker, a Sea Shepherd Conservation Society support ship, took footage
of the incident, and video of the incident has been released by both the
Institute of Cetacean Research[42] and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
Each side blames the other for the incident, arguing that
the skipper of the other vessel miscalculated during a dangerous maneuver.
Bethune has said that he believes the captain of the Japanese vessel had
miscalculated while trying to scrape the bow of the Ady Gil. In a statement
released by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Chuck Swift, who witnessed
the incident from his ship, the Bob Barker, claimed that both vessels were
stationary in the water when the Shōnan Maru 2 "started up and then
steered deliberately into the Ady Gil". Paul Watson initially claimed that
the Ady Gil was almost stationary in the water when the Shōnan Maru 2 suddenly
changed course and then steered deliberately into it. However, Watson later
stated that "One only needs to watch the video to see that Bethune
negligently stopped his ship in the path of the whaling vessel and it was cut
in half".Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research blames the collision on
Sea Shepherd, who they say were attempting to entangle their rudder and
propeller by repeatedly crossing their bow with lines. The Japanese Fisheries
Agency said that the Shōnan Maru 2 had employed a water cannon to deter the Ady
Gil, but the anti-whaling vessel undertook manoeuvres like suddenly reducing
speed, resulting in the collision. Opinions in news media organisations vary
similarly. Some blame the Ady Gil for powering up to intentionally propel
itself into the whaler's path, some accuse the Shōnan Maru 2 of intentionally
ramming a stationary vessel – with both sides basing their views primarily on
the released video footage. Others place the blame more evenly. An
investigation into the collision by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority
(AMSA) was inconclusive and unable to assign blame for the collision. AMSA was
unable to verify claims made by Sea Shepherd, while the Japanese government
declined to participate with the investigation saying any information it had
might be needed for an inquiry by its own authorities. New Zealand authorities
found both parties were at fault for the collision. The inquiry by Maritime New
Zealand found that the Shonan Maru No. 2 should have kept clear of the Ady Gil
under international collision regulations, and had ample opportunity to avoid
hitting it. It also found that the Ady Gil failed to take avoiding action, and
its helmsman did not see the Japanese ship bearing down until seconds before
the impact.
The Institute discovered the wreck of the Ady Gil and
released video footage reportedly showing it to be leaking diesel fuel into the
Southern Ocean. It also recovered a number of large-size arrows floating near
the wreck, arguing that these proved Sea Shepherd was willing to endanger human
life with their tactics. The crew of the Ady Gil claim the arrows were to be
used for shooting the dead whales, poisoning their flesh and causing the whale
to be of no use to the whalers and statements to this effect were made during
filming for an episode of Whale Wars. The discovery of the arrows was later used
by Sea Shepherd to justify the expulsion of Bethune from the Sea Shepherd organisation.
Having sustained severe damage, Ady Gil was towed towards
the French Dumont d'Urville Station in Antarctica. While weather conditions had
been reported as favourable for the salvage attempt, the process of towing the
vessel was reported to have caused it to take on more water. Sea Shepherd
claimed that all fuel and oil had been taken off-board the drifting vessel, at
risk to the crew. However, Japanese sources later provided photographs
allegedly showing the abandoned wreckage to be leaking diesel fuel into the
Southern Ocean.
Bethune posted an open letter to his Facebook page on
October 6, 2010 in which he said that after colliding with the Shōnan Maru 2,
Watson directed him to deliberately sink the Ady Gil for PR purposes.
Bethune is currently taking Sea Shepherd to arbitration
court for the balance owed to him in the amount of $500,000.
On January 7, 2013, Watson was sued in Los Angeles County by
the owner of the boat for $5 million. Gil says his vessel was rammed by a
Japanese whaling ship in 2010 and suffered damage to the nose but the damage
was repairable. According to Gil, Watson saw the collision as an opportunity to
spin the incident into a major publicity and money maker for his organization
so instead of towing the boat to port for repairs, he secretly gave an order to
sink the ship "under the cover of darkness" and blamed the Japanese.
Gil claims Watson knew that blaming the whalers for the destruction of his ship
would garner sympathy for his cause and spark outrage against the whalers
inspiring more people to donate to his anti-whaling organization.
Bethune's detention and arrest
Bethune boarded the Shōnan Maru 2 on February 15, 2010,
claiming to be conducting a citizen's arrest on her captain for what he said
was the attempted murder of him and his crew, and to present a $3 million
demand for his lost boat. He was detained by the ship's crew and taken to Japan,
where he was arrested by the Japanese Coast Guard on March 12 on charges of
trespassing. On April 2, 2010, Bethune was indicted on five charges;
trespassing, assault, illegal possession of a knife, destruction of property
and obstruction of business. He was held without bond in a maximum security
prison for five months. In July, 2010 Bethune was sentenced to two years in
prison, but received a five-year suspension of sentence and was deported back
to New Zealand.Bethune was also seemingly expelled from Sea Shepherd in
response to bringing a set of bow and arrows on board with intent of spoiling
whale meat for commercial use; however, Watson later said this was a legal
strategy on the part of Sea Shepherd during Bethune's trial.
Replacement
The financial loss of the Ady Gil was estimated at about
$1.5 million. A donor had reportedly offered $1 million towards the construction
of the Ady Gil 2. Sea Shepherd instead acquired the Ocean 7 Adventurer (which
is the vessel that held the race record until the Ady Gil beat it) to replace
the Ady Gil for its 2011 campaign against Japanese whaling in the Antarctic and
renamed it MV Gojira (Godzilla), then later, MV Brigitte Bardot.
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