World Champions CLAFIS Victron Energy Solar Boat Team have achieved a remarkable sixth consecutive win at the NK solar boat race held in Akkrum, Netherlands, on the first weekend in June.

Endurance Race

Over a sunny weekend the team boat completed the endurance part of the competition – a distance of 52 kilometres – in just over 1 hour 45 minutes.  The team might have done even better, but because the race is held on public waterways, in Friesland, they were delayed twice – once waiting for a bridge to be raised; and again waiting for a sluice gate to be opened.

Notwithstanding those hold-ups, CLAFIS crossed the finish line over an hour ahead of their nearest rival:

Results Endurance:
1. CLAFIS Victron Energy Solar Boat Team 0.01:45:36
2. Dutch Solar Boat Team 0.02:53:31
3. TU Delft Solar Boat Team 0.03:15:20
4. Sunderbird Solarboot Team Emden 0.03:37:10
5. SDOG Racing Team 0.03:44:14
6. Solar Boat Twente DNF

Relay race

The second event of the weekend  began on foot – a runner has to complete a 1500 metre race which ends by ‘tagging’ the solar boat. When he/she touches the boat, the pilot has one hour to complete as many laps of a course as possible. CLAFIS won this leg by completing 18 laps – two more than they managed last year, and five laps more than their nearest competitor.

Sprint

The final part of the competition for the team was a sprint – designed to find out what speed the boats can achieve – flat out – over a short course. CLAFIS achieved a top speed of 49.2kmh, completing this section in 33 seconds – putting them 11 seconds ahead of their nearest rival.

These constantly good result are a credit to the team – for their relentless pursuit of improving the technology employed in their boat, their discipline, and their determination to stay ahead of the competition. They have very deservingly been crowned Dutch solar boat champion 6 times in a row.

Sponsorship

Victron Energy also sponsor fellow competitors TU Delft Solar Boat Team. Credit should go to these student engineers, too, for designing and building a brand new boat with which they achieved second and third places throughout the competition.

Victron Energy is proud to sponsor both teams; to foster young engineering talent, and to support their endeavours in developing green energy solutions for tomorrow’s maritime transport.

Justin Tyers