120 hours is the minimum time rowing before being considered as potentially eligible to start  “The World’s Toughest Row”.

These hours must include at least one continuous passage of 36 hours. Spending 36 hours on a boat just 8m x 1.5m with 3 other people might seem like a good test for rowing across the Atlantic. In proportion, it is like training for a marathon with a longest run of 10 minutes. It is possible but not advisable. We aim to put in many more hours over the next months.

First Training Camp of 2023

On-water training is launched. Our first camp of 2023 with our coach Duncan Roy.

Planning a good day and time to be on the water, months in advance, at the very start of Spring? This is impossible. You need to be lucky. In the weeks leading up to our camp conditions were expected to be stormy. On the day, we threaded the needle between two weather fronts with enough of a safe window to row into Weymouth Harbour.

After drills on rowing technique and foot-steering and essential storm preparation with the parachute anchor we headed back to the classroom.

Last year, we rowed triangular routes around Weymouth Bay and surprised Duncan by going as far as 8.5 miles to Lulworth Cove. This year, we expand our training area east to the Isle of Wight and west around the infamous Portland Bill across Lyme Bay. Possibly, also to Cherbourg. It’s still not the Atlantic!

Drying Out

Along with the training and preparation comes the clean-up. Kit must be looked after if it is to look after us.

The Parachute Anchor is (another) essential piece of equipment.

When deployed in a storm it will fill with water and, on a line, 70m from the boat align us into the waves to minimise chances of a capsize and significantly slow the boat getting blown back away from the finish.

When we are in the mid-Atlantic we will not have the opportunity to dry the anchor on a washing line. This would be against the rules.

Aga’s have many uses. We’re sure this is not the first Aga to serve as a gentle drier of over 100m of line.