UK manufacturer looks forward to inter-brand battle
Scorpion RIBs are shouting about their Round Britain Race entries.
The UK manufacturer have more boats entered in the race, which starts on Saturday, than anyone else.
Scorpion say: “Nearly 15% of the Round Britain fleet are Scorpions, all built entirely in Britain at the company facility in Lymington.
“Scorpions are known for their handling ability particularly in the rough and with two of the Scorpion boats entered currently holding the Round Britain, Round the British Isles and the London to Monte Carlo records, it is no wonder that Scorpion is the choice of so many entrants.
“There is an enormous sense of pride attached to this brand, both from the builders themselves and the owners who are passionate enough to be racing a Scorpion RIB across three separate classes in this gruelling endurance race.
“Of the highly competitive seven teams driving Scorpions, some have an outstanding history of setting Powerboat World Records whilst other Scorpion teams have completed several trans-Atlantic crossings and a number have raced powerboats at well over 100 knots.”
In addition to the all-girl Team Scorpion-Dubois competing in the new 10m Sting to raise funds for CLIC Sargent, other notable entries emanating from the Scorpion stable are:
Hot Lemon V (pictured) – Mike and Dave Deacon – is a Scorpion 10m Sports Cruiser powered by two 320hp Yanmar diesel engines. She runs at 60 knots with a fuel capacity of 900 litres and a range of 600 nautical miles.
In August 2005 she trounced the under 30 foot World Record for the fastest powerboat sprint Round Britain. The circumnavigation was completed in 31 hours 22 minutes and 46 seconds by Mike and Dave.
Mike is a seasoned Round Britain World record breaker, having previously set the Outright Fastest time in 2001 in Hot Lemon III.
In 2002, in Hot Lemon IV, Mike and crew set a World Record of 37 hours 49 minutes in the 30ft to 50ft class. Hot Lemon V, an outstanding Scorpion, is a special build based on a stepped hull design by Lorne Campbell. She has been constructed as light as possible while still maintaining Scorpion’s renowned sea-keeping and build quality.
Seahound V – a 10m Scorpion Sports Cruiser with a conventional hull and similar power to Hot Lemon V. In July 2005 skipper Chris Strickland, together with John Puddifoot, Gordon Compton and Jan Falkowski, thrashed the Round British Isles World Powerboat Record, setting a new record of 72 hrs 27 minutes and smashed the previous record of 108 hours by 36 hours.
Seahound V also holds the London – Monte Carlo record set in 2006, a distance of 2080 nautical miles in 61 hours and 12 minutes.
Scorpion Teams entered in the 2008 Round Britain Powerboat Race:
Class MC1 – Production Motor Cruisers
Team Scorpion-Dubois No.16
Sarah Fraser/Miranda Knowles
Mystic Dragon No. 6
John Puddifoot
Seahound No. 80
Chris Strickland
Class RB3 – Sportsboats & RIBs
RIBCO/Seafarer No. 110
Grigoris Oikonomou
Hot Lemon No. 2
Mike Deacon
Tequila No. 8
Jeremy Bennett
Class RB4 – Sportsboats & RIBs
Black Gold No. 10
Gavin Howe
Follow the Scorpion teams’ progress on Scorpion’s Round Britain Report which will be going live on the Scorpion website from the Race build-up day, Friday 20 June.
