The Boat

The boat I shall be using for the challenge is one of the most technologically advanced rowing boats in the world. She is constructed from Carbon and Kevlar which means that, although very light, she is incredibly strong... ideal for dealing with the North Atlantic Ocean.

She was built for Peter Van Kets who came second in the solo class of the Woodvale Trans-Atlantic Rowing Race 2009, between the Canary Islands and Antigua. Though the Woodvale mould he used to build her is very much established, the use of Carbon and Kevlar is new and means that she is one of the most pioneering designs of ocean rowing boat in the world.

The boat has a forward cabin for storage and an aft cabin which will be my living quarters for my time at sea, as well as housing my communication and navigation equipment. This is also where I will seek refuge when the weather becomes too rough to row. She has watertight compartments built into the hull which provide more storage space but most importantly this is where I shall store my ballast. Having enough ballast is vital for the boat as she is designed to be self-righting in the event of capsize....but only if there is sufficient weight in the bottom of the boat. This ballast will consist of fresh water, which will also double as my emergency water supply.

I have decided to name my boat “The Fox”, which may seem slightly unusual but there is a reason! I have a friend who is a singer-songwriter and performs under the name The Boy Who Trapped The Sun. One of his songs is called “The Fox” and the lyrics seem to tap into part of my philosophy for attempting this challenge. It was one of the first names that I thought of for the boat and it was only after that I discovered that the very first boat ever to be rowed across the North Atlantic, Ocean, by Harbo and Samuelson, was called “Fox”.
An omen?