Facts about the Atlantic Row '09

• Journey:  La Gomera, Canary Islands to English Harbour, Antigua, West Indies
• Distance: 3,000 miles
• Boat Dimensions: 23.4 ft long, 6.3 ft wide
• Rowing Strokes: 864,000
• World Record: 39 days!
• Date: December 2009 - January 2010
• Charities: Brain Tumour UK and Shrewsbury House
• Organisers: Woodvale
  Woodvale has considerable experience in running ocean rowing races  and provides structured support to all crews taking part - http://www.woodvale-challenge.com

History of the Race

The Atlantic Ocean was first rowed by Norwegians Frank Samuelson and George Harbo in 1896. Their crossing from New York to the Isles of Scilly took 55 days and still stands as a remarkable achievement given the equipment and technology available to them at the time.

Whilst researching our trip we are reminded that 7 lives have been lost to the sport of ocean rowing. It is with the greatest of repect to their memory and the environment into which we shall be entering that we are preparing as best we can for the challenge ahead.

The first Atlantic Rowing Race was held in 1997 enabling 30 teams of courageous individuals to set out into the unknown and row across the Mid Atlantic route from Tenerife to Barbados. Since then there have been four further races across the route in 2001, 2003, 2005 & 2007 allowing 254 individuals to take on the challenge and sucessfully joining the elite group of Ocean rowers.

Boat Building

We have chosen Jamie Fabrizio at http://www.globalboatworks.com/oceanrowing.html to build our boat. They specialise in bespoke rowing boats to suit individual expeditions or boats for races.

They offer a race preparation service, fitting out boats, installing watermakers, wiring, rudders and steering, marine audio systems, cradles for shipping, alterations, repairs and refinishes.

The boat is constructed using 12mm close cell foam core and sheathed with fibre glass inside and out using aircraft grade epoxy resin.  The main internal bulkheads are 9mm marine grade ply, and the all the decking and internal frame work is 6mm. 

The boat consists of seven separate water tight compartments, so even in the unlikely event of hitting a submerged container, any leaks and damage would be contained.  Also the closed cell foam will not allow water to penetrate it and if the boat was completely full of water it would still remain buoyant - so the boat is hopefully unsinkable and strong enough to with stand whatever the environment can throw at it !

Race Qualifications

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased - This course covers astro navigation, ocean meterology and passage planning. It is a requirement of the port authorities to ensure sufficient navigation knowledge.

RYA Sea Survival - Life saving skills for people planning to go to sea including the use of flares and safety equipment with a practical experience of liferafts in a swimming pool and the prevention and treatment of hypothermia.

RYA Marine Radio Short Range Certificate Course - A legal requirement for anyone using a VHF radio including practice of routine and distress emergency procedures.

First Aid at Sea

Start - La Gomera, Canary Islands

The Canary Islands comprise of an archipelago of seven major islands and six smaller volcanic islands, situated in the Atlantic Ocean 69 miles west of Morocco and 683 miles south of Spain, at Latitude of 28'N

Since 1927 the islands have been divided into two provinces under the names of their respective capitals: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote), and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro)

La Gomera is a small rugged Island, roughly circular in shape covering an area of 378 km and has one great claim to fame that beckons sailors to its shores. It was the first port of San Sebastian on La Gomera that Christopher Columbus set off on 06 September 1492 om his historic voyage to the new World.

The centre of the island is dominated by Mount Garajonay, which stands at 1487 m above sea level and from the western side, La Gomera is only 16nm away from Tenerife.

Finish - Antigua

Antigua is the largest of the British leeward islands, located in the eastern Caeibbean, roughly 17 degrees north of the equator.

Admiral Horatio Nelson noted the many benefits of the island of Antigua, the warm staedy winds, complex coast line of safe harbours and the protective nearly unbroken wall of coral reef and realised that it would be a perfect p[lace to hide a fleet. In 1784, Nelson sailed to Antigua and established Great Britain's most important Caribbean base. Little did he know that nearly 200 years later the same unique characteristics that attracted that attracted the Royal Navy would transform Antigua in to one of the Caribbean's most sought after destinations.