Sailing: MacArthur to attempt four records in £3m boat

Ellen MacArthur yesterday put the disappointment of failing to set a record for sailing round the world behind her by announcing a new project, a new boat and four new record-breaking attempts over the next two years.

MacArthur is to build a 75ft trimaran, designed by the France-based Englishman Nigel Irens, just north of Sydney. The £3m project is due to begin early next year and could see attempts being made on records on the way home, including the old tea route of Hong Kong to London.

But the two principal attempts will be to break the records held since 1994 by the Frenchman Laurent Bourgnon in the trimaran Primagaz. These are the 540 miles he covered in 24 hours and the time of seven days, two hours, 34min 42sec for crossing the Atlantic from west to east.

"I feel incredibly motivated," MacArthur said. "What has always motivated me was learning and I learned a massive amount when sailing my boat alone around Britain so long ago. It was a massive challenge."

Elsewhere, plans to buy Graham Dalton's Open 60, Hexagon, to be the new Pindar for Emma Richards, have been put on hold as Dalton considers his own plans. The boat is in Argentina after being dismasted on the fourth leg of the Around Alone Race.