Boat Collection Day!

by Laura

It has been just over one month since we picked up our beautiful ocean rowing boat. We thought we’d take a moment to look back at the momentous occasion that was finally getting the SS1 into our hands.

A big part of preparing to collect the boat was the logistics of it all: where we were taking the boat to; how we were going to get it there; who was going to tow it and how; and, after all of that, whether to put it in the water straight away, and how.

Fortunately, everything was made more straightforward with the help of our support network.

The where

We needed to collect the boat from Rannoch in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. But where to put it? Well, a month or two earlier, we were very fortunate to be put in touch with the team at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club (CBYC), who have kindly given us a berth in the marina. This gives us a base where we can familiarise ourselves with the boat, especially the electronics and kit storage. It is also allowing the team to meet some great people at CBYC, especially as the SS1 looks slightly different to the other boats moored nearby! 

The how

Due to a recent change in the law, all of the crew were legally able to tow the boat the 200+ miles from Essex to Cardiff. However, we decided to lean on somebody with more experience of towing precious cargo and who might also be interested in seeing the boat and meeting the wider Ace of Blades team. I managed to cajole my mother, Amanda, into joining us on the trip and taking on the mammoth task of towing a 28-ft boat across the country. Fortunately she was more than happy to, and I made sure there was good food, drink, chat and, crucially, navigation support. 

Driver sorted, but we still needed a vehicle to tow the boat with. Who would have known that hiring a pickup truck was so difficult? After a flurry of calls and emails from Kit and I, we finally tracked one down. I picked the truck up on Thursday evening – the only option available – but that meant I couldn’t collect the oars.

Did I mention the oars? The SS1 didn’t come with any, and we really needed some to be able to row the boat from the slipway at CBYC to its berth. Pretty vital! We had sourced two second-hand pairs that we could use for training, so Kit and her boyfriend Will motored down the M4 late on Thursday night to collect them, ready to meet us in Cardiff on Friday. 

My first look at the boat

Having left Cheltenham for Burnham-on-Crouch at 6am on Friday morning, arriving at Rannoch was an important moment for me. Due to illness I hadn’t been able to visit the boat with the rest of the crew earlier in the year. Seeing all of the boats lined up in the yard definitely made all the more real the enormity of the challenge and the learning process ahead of us.

Ollie at Rannoch was incredibly helpful with the various intricacies of securing the boat on the trailer and transporting her to Cardiff. If there is one thing that you can take from the journey we have been on already with this challenge, it is that every day is a school day!

Tip: To all future rowers, I highly recommend having a conversation with Rannoch ahead of picking up your boat to make sure you have everything you need. Our lighting board was not quite wide enough and the cable not quite long enough to put on the back of the boat. We were able to overcome these challenges on the day, but it would have been much calmer had we planned ahead a little better. 

Is it a bird, is it a plane…

It was a long, slow journey to Cardiff. A small detour through a supermarket petrol station sparked a lot of questions, with one couple asking me if I had an aeroplane on the trailer. As you probably know, ocean rowers love talking about ocean rowing and this led to many more questions. One of my favourite aspects of this challenge is the interest it sparks in everyone you come across. This was evident throughout our journey to Wales and we met some very interesting people, who naturally pointed out that we must be crazy!

Tip: When stopping for breaks, head to the lorry park. I’m considering creating a map of ‘ocean rowing boat-friendly’ services!

In she goes

We reached CBYC (and Lizz) at about 5pm fuelled by sweets and sunshine. 

We met Mark Cheeseman, CBYC General Manager, who showed us around, how to access the facilities, and most importantly the berth itself. Mum pulled her final trick of the day out the hat, deftly lining the boat trailer up with the slipway in one in one fell swoop – a manoeuvre many struggle with, Mark informed us. 

Then the cavalry arrived in the form of Kit and HABs (Husband & Boyfriends) James and Joe, as well as ‘Row Joe’ from TWAC 2021 team In Deep Ship. Row Joe talked us through the process of easing the boat from the trailer and into the water, who needed to be where, etc. And then we launched!

Everything went smoothly, aside from a rudder issue. We had felt certain we could avoid a cold dip by fixing it in place out of the water. Alas, the clearance was not there to avoid damaging the rudder. So Lizz, ever prepared, took a dip under the boat after launch to feed the rudder through to Kit. Goose poo and all manner of other delights awaited her, and I will never forget the ease in which she was unceremoniously pulled from the water by the two Joes. 

To get the SS1 round to the berth, Lizz took control of the steering while Kit and I powered the oars. Without the weight of all the kit we will have onboard for our Atlantic crossing, she was very speedy. Not expecting the pace of our glorious steed, the onshore crew had to run the length of the pontoon to meet us at the berth. With some tricky navigation around a few bends to reach the SS1’s new home, we made it, expertly guided in by Joe and James. We’ll be working on our handbrake turns to get her into her moorings without assistance!

Looking forward

That Friday was truly special and we all felt a mixture of excitement and relief rush over us. It was a long process to get there, but we are over the moon to have the boat in our possession and to now be able get to grips with all of the kit, as well as give her a much needed clean and polish!

We are incredibly grateful for the time and expertise that everyone afforded us that day. Not only did it help us with the process itself, it also meant so much to share such a special occasion with others close to us.

Thank you so much to everyone for their help up to this point!