On February 25th three Belgian friends – a boatbuilder, an adventurer and an engineer – departed from Portimao (Portugal) to cross the Atlantic Ocean to Miami, US by man power, in a row boat. Our great adventure will take us approximately 3 months and the boat will be our home during that long time. A Tiny house on a big ocean! However, the boat will be more than our home and means of transport, it will primarily become a “research pod” for several experiments.
Main partner
We are proud to have Libeco as our main sponsor
Supporting partners
Follow the Front Row on Instagram @whaleboat_boatbuilding or #jointhefrontrow,
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That unique moment when a giant wave crashes on deck and blows you out of your shoes, or when the boat hits 15 knots, surfing down a wall of water, is always the moment someone forgot to turn on the camera, or the battery died just moments before the grand spectacle. And often, conditions were simply too rough and we were holding on for dear life, not thinking about the bloody camera.
So we have to do with less spectacular images from the ocean. Nevertheless they present a good view of the daily conditions we faced on the Atlantic during our row. Portuguese seamen had told us about this very strange year, with a lot of rain, cold and miserable. Frequent low pressure systems, creating winds from directions, abnormal for the time of year. And right they were! We experienced it all from the front row! 😏
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*** Front Row *** Captain’s log excerpts ***
We set off from Portimaõ, Portugal on the 25th of February at 10.15 am, after careful deliberation with our weather router Fritz. Weather conditions were far from perfect to start, 4m waves from the WNW - remains of a mid-Atlantic storm - and wind from the WNW. Quite a rough start, but not to worry, things should improve the following days.
The goal was to head out as far west as possible, then go south, pushed by the prevailing north winds. Once south of Madeira we would start the crossing west, even as high as the 28th latitude! A cunning plan this was, the standard route is to start the crossing between the Canaries and Cabo Verde, latitude 19th and lower, the easier option because of the more constant trade winds pushing the boat across. But going this far south would make the trip to Miami even longer! And we had an extra 1350 NM / 2500 km to row even as the crow flies, on top of the 2700 NM / 5000 km for the crossing.
Unfortunately, from the first night Jelle got seasick and Gijs and I had to rearrange our shifts, meaning even less sleep. Well, no biggy I figured, seasickness in these conditions is part of the game. In fact I was expecting this to happen. When Jelle and I rowed along Indonesia before, he got seasick often. Besides, I wasn’t feeling too great myself. Building the new boat, setting up the campaign, finding sponsors in these challenging times, all within 1 year, appeared to had influenced my sea-legs! I felt exhausted and nauseous. Even threw up an orange juice, quite the surprise for me! Never had been seasick in my life.
Continue reading in the comments below...
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Front Row logistics update
With the boat now in the Canaries instead of the US we have had to pull together a plan to bring it home. The original plan included a sponsored transport back to Europe by @sevenstaryachttransport. A new plan has come together on short notice. So many new friends helped out without hesitation. Our eternal gratitude goes to Jos and the Marina Puerto Chico officials for their professional help. Also a big thank you to Lea and Juliette for being the best fender Jan Martens ever had 🙂
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***Skipper's Update***
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The initial leg of our mainland to mainland row, from Portugal to the Canary Islands, proved to be exceedingly tough.
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Jelle’s persistent seasickness became so extreme that we decided to make land in Tenerife in the interests of safety.
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We arrived late yesterday afternoon in Marina Puerto Chico. A huge thank you must go to Fernando and the rest of the guys there that helped us in.
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Jelle will not be continuing this row, and, after considerable thought, we are deciding not to continue this journey. The team has a long history together, and each member brings specific qualities. Taking one member from the composition results in an incomplete crew. Additionally, due to exceptional delays, and changes in the climate, we are running too close to the hurricane season.
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You only need to glance at Jelle’s adventure CV to understand that he is an exceptionally tough individual, with extreme endurance ability and mental fortitude far greater than the average man… but seasickness is indiscriminate, and can be an exceptionally dangerous problem if ignored.
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The O28 Whaleboat has arrived in Tenerife in perfect condition, all systems worked as intended and it dealt with the extreme conditions with ease. This is something that we are very proud of.
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Whilst it is of course disappointing to be finishing the row early, our team is now stronger in friendship than ever before.
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It is time to get some rest, to recuperate and gather our thoughts, but we’ll update you all with a report on what worked well and what can be improved, in order to support future ocean rowing expeditions, helping to move the ocean rowing community forward.
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To all of our amazing supporters and sponsors… Thank you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your compassion. Thank you for everything.
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Koen.
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Read about the ocean crossing on www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Main partner: @Libecohome
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Creative geniuses: Yanina and Felix from @andre_and_leon at www.andreleon.be
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***ANNOUNCEMENT***
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It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that the crew of the Front Row expedition are now preparing to land in the Canary Islands.
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Due to extreme and unabated seasickness for one of our crew, the skipper has deemed the expedition too dangerous to continue without making land.
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This decision is a crushing blow to the whole crew, as well as the wider support team, but as a responsible skipper Koen had no other option.
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As the details of the crew's landing plan come to light, we’ll make sure to keep you all up to date on our social media channels.
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***FIRST IMAGES BACK FROM THE OCEAN!!!***
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And the crew appear to be lying down on the job! What is going on?
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Well, you might have noticed the team pointing in a strange direction recently... this is due to the low pressure system north of them, which is creating north westerly winds. So the boys have had to deploy their para anchor... what is a para anchor? We've asked top-flight ocean rowing coach @duncroy1 to write our guest blog today to explain what a para anchor is! 👍🏻
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A parachute anchor is deployed in big seas and/or conditions which make forward progress either unsafe or not possible. The Para anchor is deployed off the bow of the boat, pulling the bow into the unfavourable conditions and therefore stabilising the boat. 🌊
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It also slows progress so boats don’t go in undesirable directions losing precious ground they have had to fight so hard to gain. Similarly to a normal parachute slowing your decent to earth 🪂 .
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Fun fact: a para anchor is also known as a sea anchor 🤓
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Myth busters: a para anchor is not a ‘power anchor’ and the team are not using a metal anchor because they are used when near land where the sea bed is shallow - unless the team has 4 miles of rope on board they won’t be deploying theirs! ⚓
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I hope this is of use 👍🏻
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Huge thanks to Duncan for explaining that - you can find out more about his services over at www.rowingroy.com 🙌
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Read more at www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Main partner: @Libecohome
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Creative geniuses: Yanina & Felix from @andre_and_leon at www.andreleon.be
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Our intrepid adventurers may have gone to sea in a tiny boat, but that’s not to say it is limited in its technology. And whilst we wait for our rowers to adjust to life at sea (so that they can have the energy to send footage home), this pre-recorded video shines a light on the Whaleboat’s unique autopilot system. 🎬
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Many rowing boats (if they have an autopilot at all) will use a tiller system, i.e. a lever or ram that pushes the rudder one way or another based on a bearing. Most tillers are designed for faster moving vessels, and so when applied to such a slow moving boat, it is constantly adjusting causing them to wear out, overheat, or simply break. 😩
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The Whaleboat has a more solid solution; one that is integrated with the chart plotter. Our system is connected to the rudder by an electrical actuator with a clutch system which takes a lot of strain off the steering components. The construction also takes up zero cabin space, but is still easily accessible. 🙌
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The benefits of this system go beyond reliability, ease of access and maintenance: The crew can program a route in the chart plotter (all the way to Miami if they so wished), and as long as they keep rowing and don’t need to change course because of the weather, that autopilot will get them to Miami! 🇺🇲💪
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In the case of an emergency, or for tight manoeuvres in a marina, they can switch to a manual steering system from the deck, that overrides the autopilot (more on that soon!) 🔜
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The boys are feeling a lot better, and all mouths aboard the boat are now eating which is fantastic! 😋
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The land support team are really enjoying the engagement from you all! So let us know if there is anything you want to know about this amazing crossing. Tell us in the comments and we can cover it in a post soon! 🙏
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Read about the ocean crossing on www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Main partner: @Libecohome
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Creative geniuses: Yanina and Felix from @andre_and_leon at www.andreleon.be
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All About Navigation. The crew are now onto day 6 of their voyage, and conditions haven’t been particularly kind: Bad weather is making life difficult for them, with cold, wet nights and seasickness as a result. 🤢
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So with crashing waves and bad weather, in the pitch dark, and facing backwards – how on earth can they navigate?! 🤷♀
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This pre-recorded video “All about Navigation”, is episode 3 of our "What do you need to cross an ocean in a rowing boat" series, and the crew explain how all the onboard technology, keeps them on track. 📏
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As you can see, the Whaleboat has a lot of clever kit on board, GPS, Chart plotters, a custom autopilot system, but their secret weapon is Fritz! 🙋♂
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Fritz the weather router (we introduced him a while back) – will advise the crew every day of the best direction to row in to take advantage of the weather, currents and sea state. ⛈🌊
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Sometimes Fritz will give co-ordinates to aim for, sometimes he’ll just give a direction to row. The crew can enter either the co-ordinates or the bearing into their chart plotter, which talks to their autopilot, which controls their rudder…so all the crew need to do is row, and not fall in! 🚣
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Whilst sat in the rowing positions, illuminated digital read outs tell the rowers some of the detail that is being shown on the chart plotter inside the cabin. Their bearing, speed, and distance are all displayed which allows them to keep an eye on their progress. And if they’re approaching another vessel an alarm will sound allowing them to contact the vessel on the radio to make sure they don’t hit each other! 💥
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Thankfully the worst of the seasickness seems behind them and the crew are starting to settle into their brutal shift pattern. 💪
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Read more at www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Main partner: @Libecohome
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Creative geniuses: Yanina & Felix from @andre_and_leon at www.andreleon.be
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With the Whaleboat flag flown high, this epic photo taken by @migueltiteca shows our fearless crew leaving the shores of mainland Europe, on their way to mainland USA! 🇪🇺🌊🌊🚣🌊🌊🇺🇸
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A little over 24 hours into the crossing, the next few days are crucial. ⚠️
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Rowing an ocean is hard, really hard. But during the first 3-5 days our team may be pushed to their limits. 😩
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Plunged into a drastically different world, their minds and bodies are being bullied into submission whilst they adjust to the gruelling schedule. 🚣♀️😴🚣♀️😴
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But it's more than that; whilst they endure these physical hardships, their minds are racing with thoughts of loved ones they have left behind, worrying about them, worrying whether they are doing the right thing, but all the while making progress in their pioneering route to Miami. ❤️
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Keep strong boys - incredible achievements often take incredible hardships... you have this! 💪💪💪
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Read about the ocean crossing on www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Main partner: @Libecohome
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Creative geniuses: Yanina and Felix from @andre_and_leon at www.andreleon.be
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Our fearless rowers are finally rowing the Atlantic, the shore becoming ever distant… After following all the build up to the start of the row – what now? Will we hear from them before they reach Miami?! 🤔
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Of course! This is one of the most technically advanced ocean rowing boats on the planet – and we’ll be in regular communication with them, reporting back here to keep you engaged and glued to your devices! 📲
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“But I need to know exactly where they are right now!”, we hear you cry. We’ve got that covered too – thanks to our @Ovinto trackers onboard, you can head over to www.jointhefrontrow.be/#tracking and you can see their actual satellite position (updated every 30 minutes) to follow their path across the Atlantic Ocean. 📍🗺️
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But we can go one step further...for this row you can even interact with the rowers by asking them questions directly at our new message board! The guys are pretty busy right now, but as soon as they get some time they'll be fielding questions and the responses will appear once they've been answered. You can message Koen, Gijs and Jelle over at https://whaleboat.be/2021/02/24/frontrow-message-board/ 💬
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Find clickable links to the tracker and the message board, as well as a host of other resources in our bio right now. 🔗
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Read about the ocean crossing on www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Main partner: @Libecohome
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Creative geniuses: Yanina and Felix from @andre_and_leon at www.andreleon.be
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And they are off!!! 🚣
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Shortly after 10:00am local time on the 25th February 2021 the Front Row began: After a huge effort to get to the startline Koen De Gezelle, Gijs Vanden Bogaerde and Jelle Veyt have now pushed away from Portuguese land. If all goes to plan, the next piece of land they touch will be some 7,000km away, in Miami... and this crew will be the first people in history to row non-stop and unassisted from mainland Europe to mainland USA! 🇪🇺🌊🚣♂🌊🇺🇸
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They are crossing in a carbon fibre Whaleboat O28 ocean rowing boat named ‘Jan Martens’. Named in honour of Koen’s boat building mentor, it is perhaps the most progressive ocean rowing boat in the world, with rain water collection, a zero waste policy, a thermal solar unit, a hydroponic greenhouse (yes you are reading that right!), and more prototyping technology to create a self-sufficient tiny house on a big ocean. 😲
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The crew on board the Jan Martens require knowledge of the vessel inside and out and significant mental fortitude to take on an adventure of this magnitude. @Koendegezelle is the owner of the Whaleboat company, he built Jan Martens, and @gusengineering is an engineer who works closely with Koen in the development and construction of the boat. As a professional adventurer, @jelleveyt 's mental fortitude cannot be questioned. Not only did he cycle to the startline in Portugal from Belgium, when he gets to Miami, he will cycle on to Alaska as part of the "Secutec Seven Summits" challenge.
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It is amazing to see this amazing team finally able to begin their epic voyage. How long will they be at sea? The truth is, nobody knows! We estimate around 80 to 90 days, but as nobody has done this... the team will be finding out as they make their way across the globe. This will be a fascinating adventure to follow! 🌍
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This phenomenal project is not possible without the generous help of so many supporters. Donations are gratefully received over at www.jointhefrontrow.be/#donations.
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Find out more at www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Fritz the weather router…….he says ‘YES!’ 👍
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Thursday the 25th February…the Whaleboat ‘Jan Martens’ will push off from the shores of Portimão, to begin the ‘Front Row’ expedition with the intention of being the first boat in history to row non-stop from mainland Europe to mainland USA! 🇵🇹🌊🚣🌊🇺🇸
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Tomorrow, Koen, Gijs and Jelle, will clamber into their cutting edge vessel, aim their bow at the horizon, and start rowing! 🌅
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We’ll be there throughout to highlight this incredible adventure, and why this boat is making everyone in the ocean rowing world sit up and take notice! 📝
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All eyes on Whaleboat tomorrow – this is an expedition not to be missed! 👀
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Read about the ocean crossing on www.jointhefrontrow.be
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Main partner: @libecohome
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Creative geniuses: Yanina and Felix from @andre_and_leon at www.andreleon.be
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