£23,783.13
The Boat
John & Jamie will row a ‘Woodvale Pairs’ class boat, designed specifically for the race and measuring just 7 m (23.4ft) long by 1.9m (6.3ft) wide.
Each crew is self-sufficient during the race: a desalinator produces water on board for drinking, cooking and washing; solar panels charge the batteries that power the navigational systems and other electrical devices; and all of the food rations that the crew will need are stored in numerous water-tight compartments throughout the boat.
The accommodation is basic: a small cabin, just large enough to fit both rowers if necessary, is home for the duration of the ‘two-hours-on, two-hours-off’ routine that will see them to the finish. If the conditions prevent them from rowing, the para-anchor will be deployed – a kind of underwater parachute that aligns the boat with the wind and prevents them from being blown back the way they came.
Although self-sufficient, they will have some contact with the outside world via a satellite phone which will allow them to make calls and even act as a modem, allowing them to upload posts to their blog.
All race entrants are required to use exactly the same boat design to ensure fairness. The boat type was designed by Phil Morrison and 'Spud' Rowsell for the 1997 race and the basic construction has not changed since.
Intended to be self righting with the correct ballast on board, the boats are built for the task and manage the crossing by bobbing across the water 'like a cork'. While not the most comfortable travel for the rowers, the ocean going integrity of these boats has been proven time and time again.
Not being the cheapest boat around, the price tag of £25,000 does include some of the essential kit but is still a huge chunk of the overall budget. The team have borrowed the boat and so any donations will not go towards this cost.
To find out how you can travel across the ocean onboard with the team, visit our sponsors page.
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