Photo: Round Britain eRIB
We’ve covered several boating adventures here at autoevolution, carried out by people of different ages who were ready to break records in one way or another, as long as they were on a boat. This upcoming one is special not just because of the protagonist’s young age, but also because it serves a greater purpose than a personal victory.
If we hear about a teenager planning to break some sports or mobility record, we tend to believe that they’re doing it to gain popularity and, ultimately, just for the fun of it. But, while other boys his age are more concerned with their own future, this 17-year-old in the UK wants to make Britain better. In his eyes, this means spreading onshore power infrastructure across the country. And, since he can’t achieve that by himself, Harry Besley is gearing up to raise awareness about it.
Harry Besley has a dream. He wants to see charging infrastructure for electric boats all over Britain. This is essential for getting more of these zero-emission alternatives on water. At the moment, there are few green options available on the leisure powerboat market, and an adequate shore infrastructure is basically missing altogether.
The UK government is also aware of that, and its Clean Maritime Plan states that all new vessels that will be ordered for operation in the UK, starting 2025, will need to include zero-emission propulsion capabilities. Until then, young Harry would like to get things started, by raising awareness on the importance of all-electric boats.
A skipper who is passionate about RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) the teenager will embark on an adventure called “The Round Britain eRIB” challenge. He plans to basically circumnavigate Britain onboard a RIB, but not a conventional one.
A RIB fitted with electric propulsion will be built specifically for the challenge. And, of course, it will require recharging along the way. This is the catch for the entire thing – Harry hopes to encourage as many players in the industry as possible to help install onshore charging facilities. By the end of the journey, Harry hopes that at least some of the locations will boast new charging options for electric boats. This way, the challenge will be about much more than just raising awareness – it would leave a solid base behind.
Round Britain eRIB is due to launch this summer, and has already secured support from important industry members, including British Ports Association, and The Yacht Harbor Association.
Harry plans to reach 40 locations throughout his journey (as long as he will have access to charging facilities) and is gearing up for sea trials this Spring. However, the center of all this, the watercraft itself, isn’t available yet. It seems that the project’s team is still in negotiations for the RIB and the electric propulsion system. We’ll probably have to wait till Spring to find out more about it and watch it in action.
Harry Besley has a dream. He wants to see charging infrastructure for electric boats all over Britain. This is essential for getting more of these zero-emission alternatives on water. At the moment, there are few green options available on the leisure powerboat market, and an adequate shore infrastructure is basically missing altogether.
The UK government is also aware of that, and its Clean Maritime Plan states that all new vessels that will be ordered for operation in the UK, starting 2025, will need to include zero-emission propulsion capabilities. Until then, young Harry would like to get things started, by raising awareness on the importance of all-electric boats.
A skipper who is passionate about RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) the teenager will embark on an adventure called “The Round Britain eRIB” challenge. He plans to basically circumnavigate Britain onboard a RIB, but not a conventional one.
A RIB fitted with electric propulsion will be built specifically for the challenge. And, of course, it will require recharging along the way. This is the catch for the entire thing – Harry hopes to encourage as many players in the industry as possible to help install onshore charging facilities. By the end of the journey, Harry hopes that at least some of the locations will boast new charging options for electric boats. This way, the challenge will be about much more than just raising awareness – it would leave a solid base behind.
Round Britain eRIB is due to launch this summer, and has already secured support from important industry members, including British Ports Association, and The Yacht Harbor Association.
Harry plans to reach 40 locations throughout his journey (as long as he will have access to charging facilities) and is gearing up for sea trials this Spring. However, the center of all this, the watercraft itself, isn’t available yet. It seems that the project’s team is still in negotiations for the RIB and the electric propulsion system. We’ll probably have to wait till Spring to find out more about it and watch it in action.
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