Yacht designer Nigel Irens was one of a line-up of top marine industry experts to judge The Royal Thames Mansura Trophy contest for 2008. The contest was won by EnviroBoat Developments. In 2005 they converted, two classic lake passenger launches from diesel to hybrid propulsion. This was a commercial enterprise and a company was especially formed to run the converted launches. The Trophy was presented by Rod Carr OBE, CEO of the RYA a long term partner in the Royal Thames Mansura Trophy competition, at the Royal Thames Yacht Club on Wednesday 29th April

The runner-up was the converted canal barge Ross Barlow – an experimental hydrogen cell hybrid inland waterways barge conversion by Birmingham University. Not yet commercial, but holding much promise for the future, in the view of the judges. An excellent and detailed submission. It won the Prototype and Hydrogen Cell division.

Mention should also be made of the winner of the Ocean-Going Hybrid category. This was the Island Pilot DES 12 entry from Miami. A diesel/electric ocean-going catamaran of interesting an innovative design and already in production. Similar in concept to that of the original Hybrid yacht Mansura.

The Electric Boat Association received the 2008 Mansura Medal, a new award presented to the organisation that the Trustees deem to have done most for the promotion of hybid power during the year.

The inspiration for this Trophy was Mansura, a cabin-cruiser built in 1910 driven by a petrol-electric hybrid propulsion system developed by her owner, Jack Delmar-Morgan, electrical engineer and member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club. Following an article about Mansura in “Classic Boat” magazine, the writer, Kevin Desmond, persuaded Jack Delmar-Morgan’s grandson, Julian and David Barratt, a Royal Thames Yacht Club member, to commission a trophy to encourage hybrid marine propulsion.

The Royal Thames Mansura Trophy initiative will gain in both stature and competitors as the continuing need to eliminate global warming and reduce noise and atmospheric pollution encourage ongoing efforts to “improve the breed” and the range of hybrid motorboats, be they backed up by sail, biofuel, solar, fuel-cell or some other new technology. The further development of battery design is another focus of the competition.

In summary winners were:
Electric Boat Association – The Mansura Medal
Mike Manisty, Corvelia – Judges’ Special Prize
TELCO, Catspaw II – Inland Hybrid
Island Pilot llc, DSe 12m – Offshore Hybrid
Birmingham U, Ross Barlow – Prototype and Hydrogen Cell – Runner-up
Enviroboat Developments Ltd, Ransome & Ruskin – All-electric – Mansura Trophy.