Bear Grylls To Take Zodiac Mach II RIB Through The North West Passage

May 10, 2010 - PRLog -- This will take place in August when Bear is planning to traverse Canada’s infamous North West Passage from east to west aboard an 11-metre Zodiac MACH II Hurricane RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat).The boat is at the top of the Zodiac range and will incorporate the latest technology in RIB design. This includes the unique Zodiac Military Air Channelled Hull (MACH) that directs air to the keel to reduce drag and increase its speed. The boat will also be the first to feature a new Shockwave ICE (Integrated Control Environment) with seats to accommodate Bear and his four companions. This will be an important feature of the RIB as it provides shock mitigation seating within an integral console area. It has been designed to enable the crew and their instrumentation to withstand the continuous pounding that the RIB will experience while travelling at speed across ice-free water.

                 The aim of the expedition is to confound the doubters and demonstrate the reality of global warming by making a passage through waters previously impassable due to ice. They will also be raising money for the UK childrens’ charity Global Angels.

               The Zodiac MACH II RIB will have an aluminium hull and be powered by three 300 horsepower outboards. It will be a standard production model although the demands of the 5700 nautical mile, 14-day trip will require the fitting of long range fuel tanks and canvas spray dodgers plus additional navigation equipment within the Shockwave ICE.

               Although the Zodiac MACH II has a top speed of 65 knots the crew is expected to travel at more cautious speeds closer to 18 knots and will only accelerate when the sea is ice free. Although the Zodiac will have no formal sleeping accommodation, the crew is hoping to stretch-out on special waterproof bean bags beneath the canvas spray cover and snatch some sleep whenever the opportunity arises. At night they expect to camp on the ice or stay at some of the isolated communities that exist on the north coast of Canada.

               The team will be led by Bear Grylls and will consist of Tim Levy, whose company Future Capital Partners is a major sponsor of the expedition. Dave Pearce will be a helmsman and medical officer, Ben Jones is the RIB’s engineer and David Segel is lead navigator.

               The crew has already completed an extreme sea survival training course with the RNLI at its headquarters in Poole. This was followed by a crossing of the English Channel aboard a smaller RIB so the team could gain experience of working together.  

               Zodiac RIBs are well known for their strength and durability which is why they are considered ideal for such an expedition. The deep-V aluminium hull of the MACH II Hurricane is sufficiently buoyant to support the crew and its equipment by itself and the inflatable collar only contributes to the RIB’s buoyancy in extreme sea conditions or when the boat heels in a turn.   Because of this Zodiac RIBs are widely used by the world’s defence forces and emergency services and may also be found enabling cruise passengers to explore Polar waters in safety.

               More information about Zodiac RIBs can be found on www.zodiac.com. The expedition team is also inviting everyone to follow its progress on www.fcpnorthwestpassage.com where visitors can also make donations to Global Angels. Bear's own website is at  www.beargrylls.com,

               The RIB is manufactured by Zodiac Military and Professional (MILPRO) based in Paris. This is part of the Zodiac Marine & Pool Group which operates in three sectors that provide a comprehensive service to their specialised markets. The Zodiac Military and Professional (MILPRO) sector supplies inflatable and semi-rigid craft for professional users such as police, coast guard, special forces, anti-terrorism units, fire teams, the offshore industry and other military users. The boats manufactured by Zodiac MILPRO range from 4. 7m to 12m long and are available in configurations that include inflatable and rigid inflatable boats with aluminium or fibreglass hull designs, inflatable or foam tubes, diesel inboard or petrol outboard engines. The Zodiac SOLAS sector supplies life rafts for merchant ships, ferries, and cruise ships and complete rescue systems combining escape slides and rafts. The Zodiac Recreational sector manufactures inflatable and semi-rigid craft that are distributed under the Zodiac®, Bombard® and Avon® brands.



-ENDS-

Commercial enquiries contact:

Lucie Ruivo

Zodiac International
Military & Professional Marine Sector
1 Quai de Grenelle, 75015 Paris, France

Tel + 33 1 76 76 71 90
Email : info.milpro@zmp-zodiac.com
Web site  www.zodiacmilpro.com