News

At 36ft in overall length and with a 8 man crew, you may think that the speed entry of Boat No. 88, Ard Eamus, being substantially larger and heavier than the other six race boats, might be less likely to fall victim to the harsh conditions of the Indian Ocean, but you would be wrong.

In the early hours of Friday 01 May, Ard Eamus experienced a knock down (a partial capsize) in strong winds and heavy seas.  Crew member and Woodvale founder, Simon Chalk reported the incident to Race HQ shortly afterwards.

Despite being a little shaken, all eight crew members were unharmed, but the ocean had claimed some prizes from the boat, including one sliding seat, some seat covers and one broken oar.

After some time reorganizing the deck of the boat and checking for any structural damage, the crew were back at the oars, focusing once again on their end goal – to cross the Indian Ocean in the quickest possible time.

Any capsize/knock down incident at sea, whether in an ocean rowing boat or a larger sailing yacht is an extremely dangerous and scary experience.  However, each and every crew member who takes part in a Woodvale Ocean Rowing Race is required to undergo mandatory training that prepares them for such incidents. 

The RYA Sea Survival Course is a practical qualification that puts competitors through simulated exercises that teach competitors how to deal with such situations and the emergency procedures that should follow such incidents.  Everyone hopes never to experience a capsize or knock down but if they do, knowledge of how to deal with the situation should be second nature.