I like it how you always think of other people, seeing your problems as nothing by comparison. That can only come from a very nice person. Good things will keep happening to you!
Sad news John as you were the topic of conversation at the weekend. Hopefully you will post some more videos of the refit and continue to share your knowledge/experience in rowing. How you come up with a better solution for the fan system yet. Hence our discussion at the weekend. 😊👍🏼
Hi Craig, yes it's frustrating news but in the context of the worlds current issues it's just personal disappointment and thus seems trivial. I'll keep posting updates on the refit, not done a lot in the last two / three weeks. I've been concentrating on the farm while we have good weather, looking after our new arrivals, rebuilding a large section of dry stone wall and improving the drainage. Not given too much thought to the fan system, when I get to refitting the two cabin vents I'll have to give it some thought. Anything that punches additional holes in the cabin is off limits though.
Hi John. I trust you are well. Are you still planning on the Indian Ocean crossing. I see Ron Barton is out there at the moment looking to do a mainland to mainland crossing of the Indian, but in an Open boat. Probably with all the mod cons 😮😮
Thank you for explaining the situation. Sometimes with adventures like yours, the rowing is the ‘easier’ part compared to all of the shit (logistics) before and after the main event.
I agree, I've always said getting to the start line is the toughest part of any of these trips. Hopefully 2023 will all work out, it won't be by lack of effort on my part if it doesn't.
You are amazing! I actually have a plan to row the pacific ocean from south korea to LA in 5 years :) before I do it, I will ask you for some advice about the journey :)
Hard decision John, not easy doing a turnabout on such incredible plans. I read an article today about a fairly new hull product made by Graphite Inovations and Technologies that uses graphene. Applied to lobster boats here in Nova Scotia has had good results and trials on a larger vessel will begin in 2022. As you are always working on perfecting your own boat, perhaps the info may be of some use to you.
Hi Louise, yes tough call, but it look more and more the right decision as time passes. I've looked into the Graphene product, very iinteresting, sengt them an email asking if it's suitable for small craft.
Hi John, love the videos, hope you get a chance to put out more soon. I've been wanting to get in to Ocean rowing and was considering buying the Rannoch Explorer solo for beginning my adventures. It's a little out my price range but I really like the look of the construction and quality. Could you give me any tips of similar boats that would be a little bit cheaper but a good standard? Or where best to find second hand? Thanks for your help, look forward to hearing about your next adventure. Matthew
Hi Matthew - before you buy a boat make sure you understand the difference between a blowing boat and a pure boat. My opinion, for what it is worth, is that blowing boats are not rowing boats, they are rowing assisted sailing boats. The fore cabin bulkhead is designed to catch the wind, they easily cruse along at 3.5 knots in a following wind when it’s impossible to add any speed to that with the oars as you can’t move the blades through the water quick enough. If you want to claim you have actually rowed an ocean, my opinion is that it has to be in a pure boat. Problem with the 2nd hand boat market is everyone what’s top dollar for the boat to get some cash back, problem is they don’t get looked after very well and need a fair amount of work doing to make sure they are sea worthy. Check out the ocean rowing society web site they have a for sale section, other than that contacting rowers directly to find out what they are doing with their boat after their row is a good option.
John, thank you for the quick reply. Really appreciate you passing on your knowledge. Day and night I'm obsessed about getting out on the open Ocean, shouldn't be too long until I can start. Cheers
The fire's still there, we are in the middle of a big restoration project on the farm at the moment so that's unfortunately the priority at moment. I have to make my mind up by the autumn so we'll see I guess. The covid crisis really put a whole in our plans when we moved back to the UK and has set us back a good three years. Having said that other than time and finances we came out of it healthy and happy which tragically wasn't the case for many.
I like it how you always think of other people, seeing your problems as nothing by comparison. That can only come from a very nice person.
Good things will keep happening to you!
Sad news John as you were the topic of conversation at the weekend. Hopefully you will post some more videos of the refit and continue to share your knowledge/experience in rowing.
How you come up with a better solution for the fan system yet. Hence our discussion at the weekend. 😊👍🏼
Hi Craig, yes it's frustrating news but in the context of the worlds current issues it's just personal disappointment and thus seems trivial. I'll keep posting updates on the refit, not done a lot in the last two / three weeks. I've been concentrating on the farm while we have good weather, looking after our new arrivals, rebuilding a large section of dry stone wall and improving the drainage. Not given too much thought to the fan system, when I get to refitting the two cabin vents I'll have to give it some thought. Anything that punches additional holes in the cabin is off limits though.
Hi John.
I trust you are well. Are you still planning on the Indian Ocean crossing. I see Ron Barton is out there at the moment looking to do a mainland to mainland crossing of the Indian, but in an Open boat. Probably with all the mod cons 😮😮
Thank you for explaining the situation. Sometimes with adventures like yours, the rowing is the ‘easier’ part compared to all of the shit (logistics) before and after the main event.
I agree, I've always said getting to the start line is the toughest part of any of these trips. Hopefully 2023 will all work out, it won't be by lack of effort on my part if it doesn't.
Hats off to you, it couldn’t have been easy to make that choice 👍
It wasn't, it's easy to make big decisions when they get you closer to your goal, not so when they get you further away.
You are amazing! I actually have a plan to row the pacific ocean from south korea to LA in 5 years :) before I do it, I will ask you for some advice about the journey :)
That would be some acheivement, ask away.
Hard decision John, not easy doing a turnabout on such incredible plans. I read an article today about a fairly new hull product made by Graphite Inovations and Technologies that uses graphene. Applied to lobster boats here in Nova Scotia has had good results and trials on a larger vessel will begin in 2022. As you are always working on perfecting your own boat, perhaps the info may be of some use to you.
Hi Louise, yes tough call, but it look more and more the right decision as time passes. I've looked into the Graphene product, very iinteresting, sengt them an email asking if it's suitable for small craft.
Hi John, love the videos, hope you get a chance to put out more soon. I've been wanting to get in to Ocean rowing and was considering buying the Rannoch Explorer solo for beginning my adventures. It's a little out my price range but I really like the look of the construction and quality. Could you give me any tips of similar boats that would be a little bit cheaper but a good standard? Or where best to find second hand? Thanks for your help, look forward to hearing about your next adventure. Matthew
Hi Matthew - before you buy a boat make sure you understand the difference between a blowing boat and a pure boat. My opinion, for what it is worth, is that blowing boats are not rowing boats, they are rowing assisted sailing boats. The fore cabin bulkhead is designed to catch the wind, they easily cruse along at 3.5 knots in a following wind when it’s impossible to add any speed to that with the oars as you can’t move the blades through the water quick enough. If you want to claim you have actually rowed an ocean, my opinion is that it has to be in a pure boat. Problem with the 2nd hand boat market is everyone what’s top dollar for the boat to get some cash back, problem is they don’t get looked after very well and need a fair amount of work doing to make sure they are sea worthy. Check out the ocean rowing society web site they have a for sale section, other than that contacting rowers directly to find out what they are doing with their boat after their row is a good option.
John, thank you for the quick reply. Really appreciate you passing on your knowledge. Day and night I'm obsessed about getting out on the open Ocean, shouldn't be too long until I can start. Cheers
Hi John.
Have re-lit the fire for crossing the Indian Ocean again yet? Mainland to mainland if my memory serves me correct.
The fire's still there, we are in the middle of a big restoration project on the farm at the moment so that's unfortunately the priority at moment. I have to make my mind up by the autumn so we'll see I guess. The covid crisis really put a whole in our plans when we moved back to the UK and has set us back a good three years. Having said that other than time and finances we came out of it healthy and happy which tragically wasn't the case for many.
That looks like a Frabrizio boat you rowed the Atlantic in, good on you.