Crowds turn out to see Earthrace

The New Zealand built and skippered 100 per cent bio-fuelled Earthrace powerboat has arrived home in New Zealand and spent two days in Kaikoura last week during a tour of the country.

Kaikoura Coastguard went to meet the impressive carbon-fibre boat, akin to something out of a science fiction movie, as it approached Kaikoura.

A crowd of eager spectators waited patiently as it carefully moored in South Bay, before tours of the vessel were conducted.

Skipper Pete Bethune and his crew were happy to show a raft of locals around the boat, answering questions about the boat itself and its incredible trip around the world.

The inside of the tri-hull boat itself is incredibly compact, with a small kitchen area and bunk room, which apparently can sleep up to eight people, leading into the cockpit you would not want to fall out with your fellow crew members once on board!

But with an awesome stereo system and very stylish ventilation "wings", upon which you can sit and admire the surroundings from up high, it looks and sounds very flash.

On the evening the boat arrived in Kaikoura, the skipper and crew enjoyed a barbecue put on by Kaikoura Coastguard before Pete entertained about 40 people with a motivational and candid talk about his adventures.

He spoke about how the boat was built and funded, and of course told the tale of being held in Guatemala (which he said was for his own safety) after the fateful accident in which 54 year old Guatemalan fisherman Julio David Galiano Contreras, known as Pajarito, was killed.

Those who attended the talk said they could have listened to him all night, and many bought his book, also entitled Earthrace, so they could continue to read about his adventures.

The following day more people visited the boat to have a look around, before she "set sail" for Lyttleton.

Four lucky locals won the chance to board the vessel and were taken down the coast for an hour.

Honeymooners Michael and Nadine Bassett, from Donegal in Ireland, were also lucky enough to be given the chance, and both had a go at wakeboarding from the back of the 24m boat.

"That was just awesome!" said Michael.

"What a way to end our time in New Zealand just magic!"

The couple had been married only three weeks and were really grateful to Kaikoura Coastguard for giving them the amazing opportunity to do something so unusual.

Earthrace smashed the previously British-held round the world speed record by almost two weeks in June 2008.

The story of her volunteer crew and their journey to promote renewable fuels and sustainable living was watched by millions of people on TV networks and in newspapers and magazines around the globe.

The boat broke the 10 year old world circumnavigation record using only biofuel from sustainable sources as a way of drawing attention to, and fuelling debate about, renewable fuels.

The fuel tanks at the base of the boat hold 12,000 litres of biofuel, which has come in many different forms, recently including waste from wine production in Marlborough from New Zealand Extracts, a subsidiary of Mudhouse Wines.

However the boat is surprisingly light at just 26 tons fully fuelled, and can reach speeds of up to 40 knots (74kmph), cutting through waves with its piercing bow.

The future of Earthrace looks set to continue along the same line of promoting sustainability and eco-friendly causes, as skipper Bethune has suggested it may be used in the fight against whaling in the Antarctic, helping the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Failing that it may be sold, depending on finding a buyer, for a cool $1.5 million.

Funds raised during Earthrace's visit totalled $500 for Kaikoura Coastguard, which was enough to cover their expenses hosting the boat and crew, as well as being a good public relations exercise.

- The Marlborough Express