Whilst I’m still not having much luck on the lake, we were recently approached by a big fish…
The call came from a customer looking for filters, engine oil and coolant for his Marine Propulsion MTU 12V396 engines.
Nothing out of the ordinary we thought until we started chatting to the owner in more detail about the vessel.
The vessel in question was once owned by Richard Branson and was none other than the record-breaking Virgin Atlantic Challenger II!
In 1986, the 72ft Virgin Atlantic Challenger II smashed the world record for the fastest ever crossing of the Atlantic.
Sadly, after Richard had broken the record, the vessel was sold and sat dormant in a shipyard for a number of years.
Our customer found the vessel and knowing of its history, bought her immediately and sent her back to the UK where he could begin restoration.
After many painstaking hours to bring her back to her former glory and a few years of usage, she has now been sold, and the engines are being serviced before the lucky new owner takes possession.
It was great to hear and read up about the history of the vessel and we wish her many more years of safe sailing with her new owner.
We don’t know where she is destined to go but we do know that wherever it might be she’ll be getting there in no time at all.
