Irish built boat makes it from Donegal to Iceland in record-breaking time.
Huge congratulations to all involved as Cork boat breaks world record on Arctic Circle voyage.
Last week, an Irish designed and built boat set a new world record after sailing from Ireland to Iceland.
The Thunder Child II powerboat was designed and built by Safehaven Marine in Youghal, County Cork.
An incredible journey – Cork boat breaks world record
Navigating 1,500 km (932 miles) or just over 866 nautical miles, the boat and five crew members left Ireland on Thursday 8 July.
The crew left Killybegs in Donegal at 3 am and made it to Reykjavik, Iceland, in just under 32 hours. Travelling at an average speed of 30 knots, the Cork boat impressed the Icelandic Coast Guard rescue helicopter, who honoured the crew with a special fly-by.
The journey across the North Atlantic Ocean was difficult, with the boat encountering large sea swell. One crew member commented, “We were hoping for calm waters for optimal speed to break the record, but the weather was not calm”.
The boat stopped to refuel twice on this journey, once by the Outer Hebrides and the other on a small island off the coast of Iceland.
After arriving in Iceland, the boat embarked on a small tour of the coastline, where the crew posed for photographs.
The boat then refuelled before taking on a 400 nautical mile or 740 km (460 miles) voyage crossing the Denmark Strait to Greenland.
The third world record for Thunder Child – an impressive vessel
This is not the first time this Cork boat breaks world record. In 2020, Thunder Child II set the over 50 ft class record for the Cork-Fastnet-Cork voyage. Completing the 120 nautical miles or 222 km (138 miles) journey in just two hours and 36 minutes.
Its predecessor, Thunder Child, set a world record for the “long way” circumnavigation of Ireland in 2017. It completed the 2020 km (1,255 miles) journey in just 34 hours.
The technical details – a sturdy ship
Thunder Child II is a unique high-speed hydrofoil assisted ‘monocat’ that measures 23 m (75.5 ft) in length. A monocat is a type of boat with a single hull to the front of the boat and two at the back like a catamaran.
It is valued at over €1m (£855,000) and is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 54 knots. However, it usually cruises at a speed of 30 to 40 knots.
The Thunder Child II can hold 8,000 litres of diesel. This is then used to power the four Caterpillar 650 horsepower engines. It can travel up to 750 nautical miles or 1,389 km (863 miles) before refuelling.
It can comfortably accommodate a crew of five as it has full live-aboard facilities.
This world-record-holding boat is a high-speed vessel that was designed by Safehaven Marine in Youghal. The company designs and manufactures high-speed performance craft for pilot boats and patrol craft, like the navy.
As the Cork boat breaks world record for the third time, it is unknown what record it aims for next. However, what is known is that it will be pretty impressive!
