Ocean 7 Adventurer
Encyclopedia
MV
Brigitte Bardot (formerly Gojira and Ocean 7 Adventurer) is a unique high-tech 35 m (115 ft) stabilized monohull twin diesel engine powered vessel designed by Nigel Irens
. Construction of the Adventurer began in June 1997 and she was launched on 16 March 1998. The official naming ceremony took place on 3 April 1998 in London's West India Dock.
powered wave-piecing trimaran, set a new world record when it docked at the Vulkan shipyard in Sagunto, Spain after completing a circumnavigation in just 60 days 23 hours and 49 minutes.
The design of the vessel was evaluated and proven by hydrodynamic tank testing and a 21.3m scale prototype named the iLAN Voyager completed sea trials to demonstrate the advantages of the concept.
The Adventurer is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communications equipment.
In 2007 the vessel was acquired by Ocean 7, a Cape Town
based marine brokerage and charter operation. The vessel was recommissioned and transferred to a mooring at the V&A Waterfront. The vessel was available for charter, film work and the occasional marine rescue operation.
In December 2007 the Ocean 7 Adventurer was chartered to retrieve a demasted yacht, the IMOCA 60 Delta Dore from the Southern Ocean
. The Delta Dore was partaking in the Barcelona World Race. The yacht skippered by Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet was at position 47°00 S 033° 25 E, nearly a thousand miles south east from South Africa
, drifting slowly at between 1 and 2 knots east. An hour after the mast had collapsed backwards, it had to be cut free and dumped into the ocean, as it was likely to damage the hull. The yacht had 188 litres of diesel on board, but this was insufficient to motor back to the mainland. The Ocean 7 team were approached with regard to salvaging the yacht. Skippered by co-owner David de Villiers, the Ocean 7 Adventurer set sail for the Southern Ocean
and after locating the yacht, it was taken in tow with a 200 m line. This rescue set a record for the longest tow in South African maritime history (850 nmi (1,574 km)).
During early June 2008 the Adventurer moved to the east coast of South Africa to observe the annual sardine run, after which it relocated to the southern end of Madagascar in July in search of waves amongst the reefs where the vessel was used as a live-aboard base for surfers and kite surfers. During September the Adventurer explored the Baron Islands off the Madagascar coast before returning to its base at the V&A Waterfront for the summer season, where it was available for day charters, specialised trips and functions.
In 2008 it was repainted in Rat Race Media graphics and was the star of a TV series on kykNET, Aqua X. The series started in October 2008 and aired until January 2009.
and renamed it (Romanized Japanese for Godzilla
). Captained by Lockhart "Locky" MacLean, it is the first Australian-flagged vessel to be operated by the Sea Shepherd Society, and though slower, it is twice as large as the Ady Gil, making it more stable than the boat it replaces.
in honor of the French fashion model, actress, and singer whom Paul Watson, the founder of Sea Shepherd, took on an anti-sealing trip in 1977.
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
Brigitte Bardot (formerly Gojira and Ocean 7 Adventurer) is a unique high-tech 35 m (115 ft) stabilized monohull twin diesel engine powered vessel designed by Nigel Irens
Nigel Irens
Nigel Irens is a leading yacht designer. He is perhaps best known as designer of the Adventurer, a 35m trimaran motor yacht which completed a record-breaking circumnavigation in 1998, and of the record-breaking trimaran used by Ellen MacArthur to break the world record for solo circumnavigation in...
. Construction of the Adventurer began in June 1997 and she was launched on 16 March 1998. The official naming ceremony took place on 3 April 1998 in London's West India Dock.
Cable and Wireless Adventurer
Originally named the Cable and Wireless Adventurer she was built for the purpose of circumnavigating the world in less than 80 days. This was successfully accomplished in July 1998 in 74 days, 20 hours, 58 minutes, traveling more than 22600 nautical miles (41,855 km). This achievement set a new Guiness World Record for a powered vessel. However, on 27 June 2008 Earthrace (later renamed Ady Gil), the biodieselBiodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
powered wave-piecing trimaran, set a new world record when it docked at the Vulkan shipyard in Sagunto, Spain after completing a circumnavigation in just 60 days 23 hours and 49 minutes.
The design of the vessel was evaluated and proven by hydrodynamic tank testing and a 21.3m scale prototype named the iLAN Voyager completed sea trials to demonstrate the advantages of the concept.
The Adventurer is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communications equipment.
Ocean 7 Adventurer
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
based marine brokerage and charter operation. The vessel was recommissioned and transferred to a mooring at the V&A Waterfront. The vessel was available for charter, film work and the occasional marine rescue operation.
In December 2007 the Ocean 7 Adventurer was chartered to retrieve a demasted yacht, the IMOCA 60 Delta Dore from the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
. The Delta Dore was partaking in the Barcelona World Race. The yacht skippered by Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet was at position 47°00 S 033° 25 E, nearly a thousand miles south east from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, drifting slowly at between 1 and 2 knots east. An hour after the mast had collapsed backwards, it had to be cut free and dumped into the ocean, as it was likely to damage the hull. The yacht had 188 litres of diesel on board, but this was insufficient to motor back to the mainland. The Ocean 7 team were approached with regard to salvaging the yacht. Skippered by co-owner David de Villiers, the Ocean 7 Adventurer set sail for the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
and after locating the yacht, it was taken in tow with a 200 m line. This rescue set a record for the longest tow in South African maritime history (850 nmi (1,574 km)).
During early June 2008 the Adventurer moved to the east coast of South Africa to observe the annual sardine run, after which it relocated to the southern end of Madagascar in July in search of waves amongst the reefs where the vessel was used as a live-aboard base for surfers and kite surfers. During September the Adventurer explored the Baron Islands off the Madagascar coast before returning to its base at the V&A Waterfront for the summer season, where it was available for day charters, specialised trips and functions.
Rat Race Media Adventurer
Miles for Smiles Adventurer
In November 2009 the Ocean 7 Adventurer was chartered by the Cipla Miles for Smiles Foundation to be the support vessel during leg one of the Miles for Smiles Madagascar Challenge. Before setting out to sea the Ocean 7 Adventurer received a new look with the iconic Miles for Smiles regalia. This challenge was the brainchild of David Grier to raise awareness and funding for Operation Smile children suffering from facial deformity. Leg one of this challenge was to paddle some 550 km (342 mi) from Nacala Mozambique to Cap St Andre in Madagascar where leg two of the challenge took place - the traversing of Madagascar from South to North on foot. The Ocean 7 Adventurer played a crucial role in supporting David Grier and cameraman Nick Heygate during the paddle crossing.Gojira
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society acquired the $4 million vessel for its 2010-11 campaign against Japanese whaling in the Antarctic Southern Ocean Whale SanctuarySouthern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is an area of 50 million square kilometres surrounding the continent of Antarctica where the International Whaling Commission has banned all types of commercial whaling...
and renamed it (Romanized Japanese for Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
). Captained by Lockhart "Locky" MacLean, it is the first Australian-flagged vessel to be operated by the Sea Shepherd Society, and though slower, it is twice as large as the Ady Gil, making it more stable than the boat it replaces.
Brigitte Bardot
In May 2011 the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was served with a notice from the copyright holders of the Gojira/Godzilla franchise, regarding the unauthorized use of the trademark. The Society promptly changed the vessel's name to the Brigitte BardotBrigitte Bardot
Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
in honor of the French fashion model, actress, and singer whom Paul Watson, the founder of Sea Shepherd, took on an anti-sealing trip in 1977.