Seahound V
Chris Strickland, skipper of Seahound V, a 10m Scorpion RIB, together with John Puddifoot, Gordon Compton and Jan Falkowski have simply thrashed the Round British Isles Power Boat Record.

Taking a massive one and a half days off of the previous round, a privately owned 10m Scorpion Cabin Cruiser, arrived at Bournemouth pier at 04.28 Wednesday 13th July 2005.

The 1850 mile endurance trip was started on Sunday at 04.00 in calm conditions. The first leg out to the refuelling stop in Killrush, in Southern Ireland went smoothly, running no less than the expected 35mph average. But then fog and mist descended which together with the big swell up Irish Atlantic coast and up to Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis reduced the speed to 25 knots.

Arriving in Lerwick at 22:30, the crew snatched a few hours of sleep and then at 03:00 pressed on to Peterhead for a third refuelling stop.

The weather seemed infinitely better until Whitby when Seahound V met a head sea with the wind blowing at 4 to 5. Coming down the North Sea, navigating through the oil rigs with a head sea, the crew had to make an unscheduled refuelling stop at 23:15 at Ramsgate, which entailed raising the “fuel master” out of his bed.

Seahound V then sped along the English Channel and around the Isle of Wight to reach Bournemouth pier at 04:28. Thus the record of 108 hours was smashed by 36 hours.

Pictured are the crew from left to right:
John Puddifoot, yachtmaster, RYA powerboat manager and RIB owner, Jan Falkowski, endurance racer, never far away when a record is to be broken even with a broken Achilles tendon! Chris Strickland, the master planner, owner and skipper, and Gordon Compton, engineer, technician and experienced ribster.

July 2005