THE BOAT

“The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by
going beyond them into the impossible”
Arthur C. Clarke

The boat will be a new design in ocean rowing boats – designed by Phil Morrison one of the world’s foremost marine designers and will be both incredibly strong yet light enough to row solo whilst still providing protection from the elements and providing the carrying capacity for provisions and equipment for up to a year at sea.

The boat will be built like the proverbial brick outhouse. Constructed using a foam sandwich core with glass fibre and Kevlar sheathing. Kevlar is the material used in bullet proof vests and chainsaw proof trousers, which gives an idea of its strength. This will also create a lightweight boat which is obviously important considering the fact that I have to row it over 15,000 miles alone.

Dom Mee’s kite boat built in the same yard was built using similar construction techniques and having been abandoned survived 8 months floating around in the Atlantic and then being battered on the rocks of Ireland before being retrieved in reasonably good condition. This type of construction also makes the boat inherently buoyant so even in the case of a large hull fracture or even break up she will still float.

The boat will be self righting, meaning that in the case of a capsize it will return right side up – this is an absolute necessity when multiple capsizes are inevitable on a voyage of this duration in the Southern Oceans.

The boat is divided up throughout with numerous watertight bulkheads. This way if any compartments are flooded or holed it will not compromise the safety of the whole boat and will allow them to be repaired and then pumped out while at sea.

The boat is large enough to carry all the necessary food – mainly dehydrated rations and an emergency supply of 50 litres of water. The boat will be equipped with the latest communications equipment, including a satellite telephone, VHF radio and email capability as well as independent satellite tracking of the boat. The boat will carry several desalinators to make fresh water.

All power on board is provided by solar and wind power, this charges two1 05Ah 12V batteries. The solar panels and wind generator are backed up by a methanol fuel cell.

The expedition will be tracked by satellite and I will upload daily dispatches onto the website so that people can keep track of my progress. I will also be able to upload photos and hopefully the occasional video onto the website.

The Boat

• 1x Glass fibre/Kevlar Ocean Rowing boat
• 4x carbon oars
• Bilge pumps: To pump water out of the boat
• Watermakers (1 primary & 2 mnual backup): To produce drinking water from the sea through the process of reverse osmosis
• Drogue: To slow the boat down in big following seas when there is a danger of pitch poling (when the boat cartwheels down the face of a steep wave and lands in the trough of the wave in front)
• Parachute anchor x2: This is deployed in bad weather when I cannot row It holds the boats nose into the waves enabling it to ride them in the most comfortable and safest fashion
• Ropes: To deploy the drogue and sea anchors
• Emergency sail & mast: In case rowing becomes impossible due to injury or broken equipment. The expedition must be as self sufficient as possible in this region. These items will be sealed to prevent use other than
  in an emergency
• Solar panels: For powering electronic equipment
• Wind Generator
• Methanol Fuel Cell

Safety

• Iridium Satellite telephone - enables global voice and email communications via the iridium satellite network
• GPS 2 x fixed, 3 x handheld backup: To pinpoint my position
• Inmarsat C tracking system: So that the shore team will know my position at all times
• Argos tracking system: A back up tracking and distress system which operates independently of the boats power systems in case of
  power failure
• Navigation lights: To help me be seen by other shipping
• Radar transponder: To indicate and enhance my boats position on other ships radar screens
• Liferaft
• Survival suit: In case it becomes necessary to abandon ship this will prolong survival time in the life raft
• Lifejacket
• Seat belts: To stop me being thrown around the boat in the worst weather and in the event of a capsize
• Binoculars
• Barometer: To keep an eye on air pressure – rapidly falling air pressure = bad weather on its way!

Provisions and other equipment

• 3x propane stoves & fuel: To boil water to reconstitute the dehydrated rations
• Kettle
• 400 days food: Mainly dehydrated army type ration packs e.g curry & rice, beef stew, cod stew, apple & custard etc… Simply add boiling water to packet and eat! As well as snacks of chocolate, saucisson, nuts, sweets
• Propane heater & fuel: To warm up the cabin when it is REALLY COLD! Also to dry wet clothing
• Oilskins
• Boots
• 1x Toughbook laptop computer: For receiving weather information, sending emails, and updating the expedition website
• Onboard cameras (still and video): To capture footage for a documentary and create a record of the voyage
• Comprehensive medical kit
• Charts
• Books, CD’s, DVD’s, Ipod, shortwave wireless: For entertainment
  when I cannot row