Miss Geico breaks Annapolis to Baltimore record
On May 31, 2008
“Miss Geico” pair of years back I drove from Annapolis to Baltimore, distance of only few km, but with sections of weighty traffic it still took me close to an hour.
No such difficulties for the world’s fastest offshore regatta sailboat, Miss Geico, which covered the distance ‘tween the two cities along the Severn River & across Chesapeake Harbour in 10 minutes, 31 seconds.
Reginald Granet, who piloted the awe-inspiring 44’ (13.4-metres) trimaran, described the journey as “a great safe run.”
Miss Geico topped out at 185mph (297km/hr) & averaged 160mph (257km/hr) during the run.
I was lucky to see Miss Geico at the Miami National Yacht Show earlier this year, & I can tell you, she’s worth seeing.
She tips the scales at 4762kg & is powered by two refurbished Bell Cobra helicopter turbine engines that produce 3000hp.
The engines use bio-motor fuel, whish utilises various vegetable oils as an alternative if petroleum products.
John Arruda, master of Turbine Nautical, which built Miss Geico, said the fuel “smells like French fries when it burns.”
‘It’s basically renewable fuel, you can re-flourish it,” he explained.
Not surprisingly, when Reginald Granet ‘fires’ the engines, it sounds like jet aircraft is around to take to the skies.
The Annapolis-Baltimore run was scheduled for 7.30am start, Miss Geico making her way slowly up the Severn River past the US Naval Academy.
Granet was at the wheel with throttleman Scotty Begovich & Geico marketing representative Stephen Vaden as additional ‘ballast’.
In Accordance to ‘The Capital’, Annapolis’s everyday newspaper, the crew was strapped into NASCAR-style seats with fighter pilot helmets.
A helicopter overhead plotted the route using high-tech seafaring systems.
A safety yacht with suited divers on board followed in case of accident.
Into clear water & Scotty Begovich hit the throttles, the sailboat producing tremendous ‘rooster tail’ as it disappeared beneath the harbour bridge.
A news helicopter was left behind!
In just shade over 10 & one-half minutes, Miss Geico was in Baltimore.
‘It was astonishing,” Stephen Vaden declared.
‘Doing 185mph (297km/hr) is positively highlight in my life.”
Miss Geico crew master, John Haggin, described the run, which beat last year’s record by more than four minutes, as outstanding.
He claims he merely “got hooked” on fast sailing boats; “It’s the greatest thrill you can have with your clothes on,” he says.
Sadly, heading back to Annapolis after the record breaking run, Miss Geico hit the wake of passing container sailboat.
The incident snapped drive shaft & caused the sailboat to mislay its propellers.
‘Two of the best propellers money can purchase & they’re sitting out there on the sea bed,” Granet said.
Turbine engines boast longer lifespan than their push-rod counterparts, their biggest threat being the greatly corrosive saIt water.
All connected with the sailing boat say they purpose to show that 200mph-plus yacht can be environmentally amicable
Miss Geico is believed to be the only turbine-powered offshore rival in the world running on bio-motor fuel, aside from the 78 foot catamaran Earthrace that’s currently in the wester Pacific,aiming to break the round the world record.
Lower Down is video of Miss Geico at 188 km per hour