Virgin Atlantic Challenger II rebuild?

[WTFWT]

Given that a Mangusta or Ferreti 92 will cost you £6m, could you not create something similar for the same budget using this VA Challenger as a basis?

http://uk.boats.com/boat-details/indexB/Virgin-Atl...

Such a shame to see her laid up like this - really caught my imagination as a kid and I remember collecting all the supplements and commerative brochures.

Can't help thinking it would make an amazing project and you would end up with a comfortable offshore boat with unique history, good seakeeping qualities and a very rapid turn of speed to boot.

Or am I mad?

[Lost soul]

Seems cheap , but i guess this must reflect the state it is in

[nick heppinstall]

Looks in pretty good condition to me. Wonder if the engines have been run since 86 ?

[Mr_B]

Odd. I was clearing out the some junk the other day and found the magazine for the crossing all about this boat and their challenge.

[Truckosaurus]

Shortly after it did the crossing, I remember going down to the harbourside in Weymouth to see it when it stopped off briefly for some reason.

Haven't some of the catamaran ferries gone across the Atlantic quicker since?

[Ritchie335is]

God, I want that boat!
I was only 6 when it made the crossing but I remember it well.

[FourWheelDrift]

Is it just my hazy memory or was VAC 1 a catamaran (at least a twin hull power boat) then this one that did got the record was the mono-hull?

[WTFWT]

FourWheelDrift said:

Is it just my hazy memory or was VAC 1 a catamaran (at least a twin hull power boat) then this one that did got the record was the mono-hull?

ETA You're right - only photo I can find is here...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/a...

Was a nice looking boat in its way.

Edited by WTFWT on Monday 7th December 08:42

[dudleybloke]

how much to get it nice and shiny again.

[MOTORVATOR]

$4m for the american version already done up

http://www.gentryeagle.com/index.html

[Huntsman]

WTFWT said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Is it just my hazy memory or was VAC 1 a catamaran (at least a twin hull power boat) then this one that did got the record was the mono-hull?

No, was also a monohull, though of a quite different design - only photo I can find is here...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/a...

Was a nice looking boat in its way.

Edited by WTFWT on Monday 7th December 07:38

I'm pretty sure VAC 1 was a cat, there was a gap about 6 feet wide through the middle.

[WTFWT]

Huntsman said:

WTFWT said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Is it just my hazy memory or was VAC 1 a catamaran (at least a twin hull power boat) then this one that did got the record was the mono-hull?

No, was also a monohull, though of a quite different design - only photo I can find is here...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/a...

Was a nice looking boat in its way.

Edited by WTFWT on Monday 7th December 07:38

I'm pretty sure VAC 1 was a cat, there was a gap about 6 feet wide through the middle.

Oops even shows up in my photo... Have changed original post

[MartG]

Huntsman said:

I'm pretty sure VAC 1 was a cat, there was a gap about 6 feet wide through the middle.

Not to mention the hole in one of the hulls after it hit a submerged object at speed an sank.

Did they salvage it or is it still down there somewhere off the Scillys ?

[Simpo Two]

There was also the issue of whether the Blue Riband, which was instigated for ocean liners, should be awarded to a balls-out dedicated speedboat. AFAIK it still belongs to the 'United States' - which incidentally still exists and you can find it on Google Earth.