Ex-commando’s powerboat test Businessman John in attempt at record
Former commando John Mollison Perth businessman John Mollison has been selected for Team Britannia, the British bid to design and build the fastest and most fuelefficient powerboat to circumnavigate the globe.
The Falklands veteran will join the crew of a revolutionary 80-foot powerboat, which hopes to slash up to seven days off the current world record of 60 days 23 hours 49 minutes held by New Zealander Pete Bethune.
One-time Perth Academy pupil and former commando John (57), who has nearly 100 sky dives under his belt, said: “I would love to bring the world record back to Britain but first and foremost I am in it for the camaraderie. I am joining an excellent team faced with an exciting challenge and I cannot wait to see it through to completion.”
The boat will be crewed by a 12-strong team, including five wounded or injured veterans on each of the seven legs of the voyage, who are being supported by the British Limbless ex-Servicemens’ Association (Blesma).
Family man John, one of the liberators of Port Stanley in the Falklands War, lost a leg after stepping on an anti-personnel mine two days after the conflict came to an end in 1982.
But since then he has undertaken many challenges to raise money for charity, including an attempt to singlehandedly row the Atlantic ocean and completing an extreme trek through the Gobi desert.
Ocean racing legend and Team Britannia skipper, Alan Priddy, commented: “John has a real flair for adventure and his endurance, as demonstrated through the many extreme challenges he has undertaken, makes him a valuable addition to the team. Team Britannia now boasts an impressive rank of wounded and injured veterans, which gives us all the more to be proud of.”
The ground-breaking semiwave slicing design of the boat will see the 20 tonne vessel carve through the waves, rather than surfing them.
The powerful 20 tonne boat, which is being built at the Aluminium Boatbuilding Company on Portsmouth’s Hayling Island, is expected to be launched in the summer before undertaking an extended programme of sea trials. It runs on a unique blend of emulsified diesel.
The 23,000 nautical mile record bid will get under way in October off Gibraltar.
Alan concluded: “We are entering an exciting phase of the project where we have got all our ducks in the row.
“While work on the boat has been steaming ahead, we have taken the time the complete the selection of the crew, both those who will do the full voyage and those who will do a couple of legs.
“All of those selected have completed lifesaving sea survival training and RYA powerboat level 2.
“They have all demonstrated a commitment to the project and bringing the world record back to Britain.
“I am confident that we have an outstanding crew with the right mix of experience, tenacity and humour, because this is no pleasure cruise and we will face many challenges and tests – so getting the team right will make the difference between beating the current record and not.”
To complete the record attempt the boat must pass through the Suez and Panama Canals and start and finish in the same place.
The world record authorities, UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique) have approved Team Britannia’s proposed route, which will start in Gibraltar and call at Puerto Rico, Manzanillo, Honolulu, Guam, Singapore, Oman and Malta to take on fuel.
John has a real flair for adventure and endurance