Fabio Buzzi was presented an award for his record-shattering Bermuda Challenge run. Boating Editor-In-Chief, Kevin Falvey, presented the award at the 2013 Miami International Boat Show.
Buzzi ran the 684 miles from New York City to Bermuda in 17 hours and 6 minutes on September 28th, 2012, in a boat of his own design, powered by FPT Diesel engines. Buzzi, accompanied by crew including Antonio Binda, Maurizio Bulleri, Emilio Riganti and Roberto Rizzo, averaged 40-knots en-route, despite encountering rough seas and being chased by a storm front.
Buzzi and his crew smashed the record of 21 hours, 9 minutes set by Chris Fertig and Tyson Garvin aboard the Mercury Diesel powered Statement Marine 37 on August 5th, 2012.
Upon his arrival into Bermuda Buzzi talked about the final moments of the trip.
“With the rising of the sun we all feel better and at the penultimate way point we communicated to timekeepers in Bermuda and some friends waiting for Col Moschin. At only 5 miles from the finish line, we slow down and alert the Coast Guard and Customs of Bermuda and on this occasion we forget to check the level of diesel in the two lower tanks.
We speed up immediately ... to stop after only a mile! To verify that one tank is empty and the left engine is turned off, while in the other tank there are 400 liters remaining! This is because, during the night, transfers of diesel were made, with the appropriate electrical pumps, back and forth, to best balance the hull, forgetting then, as already said, to equalize the levels.With another pump tanks are balanced, and within minutes Col Moschin runs again.
During the last mile our boat is joined by another vessel of FB Design. The FB 39 Rib of a mythical American character, customer of FB Design for years, Ross Perot, who, though not at the time in Bermuda, has very kindly left us his Rib available, including crew and General Manager, who will be of great help for logistics on the island.
The arrival is incredibly exciting, it is a great event for Bermuda’s press and local TV, that await our heroes, which otherwise show some problems with directional stability to walk on land.
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