Hold onto your hats, a new red Rocket lands on the Thames – "Rocket Rebel"! 

Thames Rockets, the UK's No.1 Outdoor Tourist Attraction, World's No.8 (TripAdvisor) launches its largest, fastest and most fuel-efficient sightseeing speedboat ever seen on the Thames. 

• First-of-its-kind British flagship sightseeing boat Rocket Rebel is the newest addition to Thames Rockets' fleet, with more than double the capacity of its existing boats (seats 26 instead of 12) allowing for individual and family bookings, larger parties and private hire - corporate, stags, hens and kids' pirate parties. 
• Her new aluminium lightweight design and fuel efficient double jet-propelled engines makes her the most eco commercial speedboat on the Thames and in the UK. 
• Thames Rockets was founded in 2006 by Guernsey boat entrepreneur Charlie Matheson - pioneer of London's speedboat sightseeing. Rocket Rebel is his latest brainchild.
• 'History humour': see London's landmarks and learn fun facts from its finest comedic performers acting as on board guides - when not rocketing downriver at 30 knots.

Thames Rockets, London's #1sightseeing speedboat experience, is launching a brand new speedboat christened 'Rocket Rebel' available for bookings from August 1 at thamesrockets.com 

When she lands, she will be London's largest, fastest and most eco (fuel efficient) commercial sightseeing speedboat. Designed for high-speed carving turns skimming over the water, the lightweight, stripped-back, aluminium design, is fitted with two 700hp (1,400hp) low-emission jet-propelled engines.

Five years in the planning by Thames Rockets, Rocket Rebel is British designed and built at a cost of £1.5 million. 

Designed by British naval architects Chartwell Marine, who have previously worked with Thames Rockets, she is built by Isle of Wight's Diverse Marine who have a long history of building strong, fast, lightweight aluminium commercial vessels. She is a UK first-in-class vessel - Thames Rockets have worked with maritime barristers to interpret UK licensing law to allow 26 passengers for the first time at high speed on this type of craft. Bright red with Union Jack graphics, look out for her rocketing down The Thames this summer.

Rocket Rebel will embark from the London Eye Pier heading downriver, passing some of London's most iconic sights - Houses of Parliament, London Eye, Cleopatra's Needle, Somerset House, Tate Modern, St Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London Bridge, HMS Belfast, The Tower of London and Tower Bridge - before opening up her engine to full throttle in the 'no speed limit zone' and flying down to Canary Wharf at speeds of up to 35mph.

Female skippered by Charlene Peak, a highly qualified and experienced Thames Rocket boat skipper, Charlene will be the first to pilot her. 

Charlie Matheson, Thames Rockets founder, said: "Rocket Rebel has met all the passenger vessel licensing requirements whilst giving customers sensory connectivity with the elements, exciting turns and eye-watering acceleration. Rather a strong brief for British naval architects but they have delivered.

"She is what our amazing capital deserves – an exciting, eye-catching and contemporary way of seeing our glorious city at speed, from the water, with a massive sound system, all hosted by our actor-comedian guides.

"We have not only doubled our capacity but also significantly reduced our carbon footprint with a more efficient engine and lower emissions, whilst carrying twice the numbers."

Rocket Rebel launches August 1 from London Eye Pier, SE1 7PB

Tickets cost from £54.95 (adult) and £49.95 (child) - available online and from the London Eye ticket office. Boat rides last 50-minutes and run daily, 365 days a year (family friendly - no minimum age restrictions). 

To book, or find out more, visit: www.thamesrockets.com, 020 7928 8933 

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To book your free media place on Rocket Rebel (with your family, if you wish), please contact Lou Hall on lou@studiolh.co.uk or +44(0)7815 139405  

Further links:

Gin-O'clock Sunset Cruises (18+) thamesrockets.com/thames-lates-over-18/
Kids' Pirate Parties thamesrockets.com/ultimate-thames-pirate-party/
Corporate Adventures corporate.thamesrockets.com/
Stag & Hen Parties thamesrockets.com/thames-stag-hen-events/

PR Contacts:

Lou Hall (+44 (0)7815 139405, lou@studiolh.co.uk) and Rob Stewart (+ 44 (0)7543 799338, robert@ski-press.com)  

Charlie Matheson is available for interview - contact Lou 

A selection of high resolution images can be downloaded here: we.tl/t-AP9ebHs3LP If you would like any further images - contact Rob

About Thames Rockets Founder

Dorset-based, Guernsey-born Charlie Matheson, 47, explains how he came up with the idea of innovating London's speedboat sightseeing tours for thrill-seekers: "I was an investment banker in Guernsey. I'm an islander. I've always loved the water. Every day, I'd sit looking out the window feeling frustrated. I knew there was a resident bob of seals off the islands around Herm, as I'd spearfished there at weekends - as I had since a boy. They'd pop up to try to steal the fish I'd caught.

"But there were no boat tours to see them. Along with the gannets, puffins, dolphins, stories of mermaids and pirate derring-do, it was the perfect setting for a boating adventure. So I stopped dreaming and started the first wildlife tourist sightseeing boat business.

"The trick was getting a large enough volume of customers through each day, which required speed to see the sights rather than a 'one man and his boat' half-a-day set-up. I wanted an hour turn around and to create a properly structured business model with an online booking system, which didn't exist at the time. In between managing the business, I did the tour guiding along with a marine biologist.

"Once I'd cracked the model in Guernsey, and then Jersey, I scouted for another location. My father suggested that if I wanted a challenge, The London Eye with the Thames meander would be a stunning spot. I was on the next flight to London.

"The London boating tours were very dated at the time - concerningly unamusing with rather tired guides, the same spiel every time, old battered chug-chugs - room for improvement. When my sister fell asleep on one, I knew we were onto something.

"The London Eye was the best location - at London's epicentre with the amphitheatre of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge, and they were keen for a new attraction. I mocked up a leaflet of what I intended, super imposing a Guernsey boat going under Tower Bridge. By the end of the week we'd agreed a deal.

"For guides, I wanted trained performers, fresh from drama college to get them in front of an audience with a regular pay check in their pocket, whilst they waited for their big West-End show. I knew the feast-or-famine nature from friends. This was perfect. They could read an audience and deliver the energy, humour and vitality that London and customers deserved.

"We've now been operating for over 18-years, millions of customers, bagging those 'smiles for miles'. I still love to wait on the dock listening to the customers applaud seeing the elation".

"What next? Passenger boat businesses such as ours tend to have longevity and be multi-generational. I'd like to see Rockets Attractions in cities across the world and offer entrepreneurs the opportunity to use the intelligence, operational systems and boat design that we've developed - built, supplied, installed, trained, complete and ready to operate. A proven British business model ready to export. A turn-key tourist powerboat package with digital bookings and safety management systems, reseller operations, staff training manuals and in-house training at Thames Rockets - a one-stop shop for safe, successful, commercial operations internationally."