The Round Britain eRIB project and challenge
Now here’s an initiative and project that has really captured my imagination and I wanted to share it with you. It is inspiring to see a young person prepared to take bold actions to back up his fighting words and to stand up for what he believes in.
The young man in question is Harry Besely, aged 16. The Round Britain eRIB project intends to help drive the development of the eMarine sector for small leisure and commercial craft. With support from key industry stakeholders the team is planning a world record attempt to circumnavigate Great Britain in summer 2023 by means only of an electric RIB.
Harry Besley will be just 17 when he attempts the world record. His youth gives him the perspective of someone whose future is at risk, and he’s serious about making this challenge a reality. Harry believes that powerboats need to stop using fossil fuels. This is his way of having an impact.
The overarching aim of the project is to assist the small craft sector to better understand the implications of new technologies and will help build public confidence in a safe and financially viable transition to a cleaner and more sustainable future.
The team behind the project would ask you to consider the following points:
- Lithium-ion battery fires on vessels are a different risk. They are working with a specialist battery manufacturer who has a significant focus on battery safety, and the team plans to use a specialist fire extinguisher per their recommendation.
- Battery management systems on vessels are generally accessed through the mobile network. The team will be working with a firm which is developing a satellite based remote monitoring system such that fleet battery health and other key systems can be monitored remotely. This could enable vessel battery health to be monitored all over the world.
- Battery overheating while charging is another key challenge, and they will be charging via a wide range of accessories and scenarios. The team will be able to log issues experienced during charging, enabling knowledge build within the industry.
- The project team will be running consecutively for perhaps up to 3-4 weeks, with continual charge and discharge cycles. This level of usage will enable the industry to develop knowledge about degradation in battery performance and any increased risks associated with this.
- The team is working with a partner to develop a modular based battery system to support the vessel and enable charging from the ground support vehicle.
If you want to offer support, or are interested in sponsoring, or being associated with this initiative, you can follow its the progress and engage with their adventures at
www.RoundBritain-eRIB.org.
Mike Schwarz
Harry Besley pictured
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