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ENVIROBOAT DEVELOPMENTS WIN THE ROYAL THAMES MANSURA TROPHY The Royal Thames Mansura Trophy contest for 2008 has been won by Enviroboat Developments. In 2005 they converted, two classic lake passenger launches from diesel to hybrid propulsion. This was a commercial enterprise and a company was especially formed to run the converted launches. The Trophy was presented by Rod Carr OBE, CEO of the RYA a long term partner in the Royal Thames Mansura Trophy competition, at the Royal Thames Yacht Club on Wednesday 29th April

The runner-up was the converted canal barge Ross Barlow - an experimental hydrogen cell hybrid inland waterways barge conversion by Birmingham University. Not yet commercial, but holding much promise for the future, in the view of the judges. An excellent and detailed submission. It won the Prototype and Hydrogen Cell division.

Mention should also be made of the winner of the Ocean-Going Hybrid category. This was the Island Pilot DES 12 entry from Miami. A diesel/electric ocean-going catamaran of interesting an innovative design and already in production. Similar in concept to that of the original Hybrid yacht Mansura.

The Electric Boat Association received the 2008 Mansura Medal, a new award presented to the organisation that the Trustees deem to have done most for the promotion of hybid power during the year.

The inspiration for this Trophy was Mansura, a cabin-cruiser built in 1910 driven by a petrol-electric hybrid propulsion system developed by her owner, Jack Delmar-Morgan, electrical engineer and member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club. Following an article about Mansura in “Classic Boat” magazine, the writer, Kevin Desmond, persuaded Jack Delmar-Morgan’s grandson, Julian and David Barratt, a Royal Thames Yacht Club member, to commission a trophy to encourage hybrid marine propulsion.

The Royal Thames Mansura Trophy initiative will gain in both stature and competitors as the continuing need to eliminate global warming and reduce noise and atmospheric pollution encourage ongoing efforts to “improve the breed” and the range of hybrid motorboats, be they backed up by sail, biofuel, solar, fuel-cell or some other new technology. The further development of battery design is another focus of the competition.

In summary winners were:

Electric Boat Association - The Mansura Medal

Mike Manisty, Corvelia - Judges' Special Prize

TELCO, Catspaw II - Inland Hybrid

Island Pilot llc, DSe 12m - Offshore Hybrid

Birmingham U, Ross Barlow - Prototype and Hydrogen Cell - Runner-up

Enviroboat Developments Ltd, Ransome & Ruskin - All-electric - Mansura Trophy.

The panel of judges also receive Mansura Medals - DJ Arnold, D Barnard, RJ Bishop, K Hollamby, N Irens

(For pictures of the original Mansura, of the Trophy and of the presentation ceremony, please contact Jamie Houston comms@royalthames.com

LAGOON 420 CATAMARAN SCOOPS TOP INTERNATIONAL AWARD

The inaugural Royal Thames Mansura Trophy competition has been won by the Lagoon 420 hybrid-powered catamaran from French shipyard, Constrution Navale de Bordeaux. The ecological innovation and practicability of their design was recognised last night (19 February) in a ceremony at London’s Royal Thames Yacht Club when the trophy was presented to M. Loic Lagrange by HRH the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

The inspiration for this competition was Mansura, a cabin-cruiser built in 1912 and driven by a petrol-electric hybrid propulsion system developed by her owner, Jack Delmar-Morgan, electrical engineer and member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club. Having researched the history of Mansura, marine writer, Kevin Desmond, persuaded Delmar-Morgan’s grandson, Julian, and David Barratt to commission a trophy to encourage hybrid boat propulsion.

With recognition from the Royal Yachting Association and launch support generously provided by The Green Blue, upwards of fifty projects were identified world-wide that addressed the spirit of the rules. Some 25 hybrid designs were followed up in Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the USA as the competition gathered momentum and international recognition, leading to a final shortlist of five contestants from four nations. Chairman of the judging panel, David Arnold, commented: “We were faced with a number of innovative and frankly ingenious original designs or retro-conversions but it was the Lagoon 420 motor-sailing catamaran which had the commercial advantage. Its use of one engine, one diesel generator and a bank of batteries which re-charge via propellers turned by the boat’s speed whilst under sail is simple and effective. The fact that Constrution Navale de Bordeaux has built over sixty Lagoon 420’s since 2003, half of which have made trans-Atlantic delivery trips, further underlines the potential.

We saw a very different approach from this year’s runner-up. The Sydney Harbour-based Sydney Solar Sailor passenger ferry, with its rigid photovoltaic sails supplying its electric motors, with back-up LPG generator, came in a strong second place, having been proven in service since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.”

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh takes a keen personal interest in innovative marine design and before the presentation, met finalists and diplomats from the competing nations, as well as representatives from the maritime world and members of the sponsoring Royal Thames Yacht Club, whose initiative is already gaining recognition and competitors for its 2008 competition. Constrution Navale de Bordeaux’s Loic Lagrange commented: “We are obviously very pleased and honoured to have our ecological engineering solutions recognised by the Mansura Trophy competition. We continue to explore hybrid power for our designs and winning this Trophy, in the face of so much international competition, is a very sweet success, especially as the trophy plinth is made from timber recovered from HMS Victory!”