Americas Cup sailor Sir Ben Ainslie has praised the design of his Scorpion 1080, which is being used by Land Rover BAR as a chase RIB
With four days to go until the Louis Vuitton Americas Cup World Series gets underway in Portsmouth, Sir Ben Ainslie has taken delivery of the motor boat that his sailing team will be relying on.
British manufacturer Scorpion RIBs has provided the Olympian and his Land Rover BAR team with a brand new 1080 RIB to serve as their chase boat during the two-day event, which runs from July 25-26.
Related news:
The new arrival is just the latest Scorpion model to join the fleet, and Sir Ben says that it is the ideal choice for his team’s needs:
“The unique nature of the foiling America’s Cup boats means that we need a support boat that can operate at high speed for long durations, comfortable enough to keep the shore team safe, alert and able to positively input into training programmes,” he said.
However, the Scorpion 1080 is just as practical for leisure use, with a range of deck layouts and configurations, including pop-up tables and full-height heads compartments.
Engine options include up to 600hp twin Yamaha, Mercury or Evinrude outboard set-ups.
Scorpion has not revealed the 1080’s top speed, but director Patrick Byrne said: “The materials used in the new boat mean it’s lighter and more environmentally friendly than our previous models.
“This has enabled us to reduce the size of the engines and the weight of the boat which has increased the top speed of the craft.”
Scorpion fans who don’t have access to Sir Ben Ainslie’s headquarters can see the 1080 RIB on display at the Cannes Yachting Festival from September 8-13.
