You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
The issue of sponsorship is by all accounts the most challenging part of these expeditions. We have been working on our options and will publish these here in a couple of days.
We look forward to sending these out and welcome any feedback that any of our readers/followers might like to make. Watch this space.
Sunday, 3 November 2013
Steering a course
Way ahead
As part of our discussions with ICE we are particularly intrigued by the steering mechanism on the trikes. Nothing complex about it or particularly unusual from the trike point of view, but potentially the solution to a problem for us.
Sat or laid in the seat while we pedal, we need to be able to have manual over-ride of the auto pilot and something to hold onto to stabilise ourselves as the boat rolls in the swell.
ICE steering has the potential for attaching some braided steel wires direct to the rudder and given that our hands are otherwise not employed to power the boat, we have a much simpler steering option than a row boat. The upright handles allow for bracing in an unsettled sea. Check out their website for photos of the bikes to see what we're getting at.
As part of our discussions with ICE we are particularly intrigued by the steering mechanism on the trikes. Nothing complex about it or particularly unusual from the trike point of view, but potentially the solution to a problem for us.
Sat or laid in the seat while we pedal, we need to be able to have manual over-ride of the auto pilot and something to hold onto to stabilise ourselves as the boat rolls in the swell.
ICE steering has the potential for attaching some braided steel wires direct to the rudder and given that our hands are otherwise not employed to power the boat, we have a much simpler steering option than a row boat. The upright handles allow for bracing in an unsettled sea. Check out their website for photos of the bikes to see what we're getting at.
ICE Trikes
Recumbent technology in whose comfort we trust.
Thursday afternoon, having made an early start in Dorset, we make Falmouth by 3pm and are welcomed by Chris and his team at ICE.
A series of industrial units where production of 1200 of the most exquisite recumbent cycling machines are produced each year for sale across the globe is also their head office. These are bikes of elegance and feline grace and examples are brought out in turn for us to try out around the car park. They are at the same time pieces of craftsmanship and joy. You cannot pilot one without a Cheshire-cat like grin.
Steve and I have worked on options for potential sponsors and are aware in this case that the recumbent seating arrangement that we have come to survey will take centre stage in our boat. Instrumental to our success because of the critical importance of comfort and its suitability to our mode of propulsion, we see that this will also enhance the marketing potential through this long and enduring test of it's capabilities.
Having tried variations on a theme designed for speed, adventure, touring and just plain fun, we retire to the office to demonstrate our embryonic website and small presentation.
Thursday afternoon, having made an early start in Dorset, we make Falmouth by 3pm and are welcomed by Chris and his team at ICE.
A series of industrial units where production of 1200 of the most exquisite recumbent cycling machines are produced each year for sale across the globe is also their head office. These are bikes of elegance and feline grace and examples are brought out in turn for us to try out around the car park. They are at the same time pieces of craftsmanship and joy. You cannot pilot one without a Cheshire-cat like grin.
Steve and I have worked on options for potential sponsors and are aware in this case that the recumbent seating arrangement that we have come to survey will take centre stage in our boat. Instrumental to our success because of the critical importance of comfort and its suitability to our mode of propulsion, we see that this will also enhance the marketing potential through this long and enduring test of it's capabilities.
Having tried variations on a theme designed for speed, adventure, touring and just plain fun, we retire to the office to demonstrate our embryonic website and small presentation.
Friday, 1 November 2013
In the boat yard
Propellers and Boats
After our office meeting we took a tour of the workshops and yard. The propeller that had been built for the earlier boat were surprisingly large in diameter, spanning probably 12 inches and encouraged us that our 80-85 rpm pedal cadence might yet produce some reasonable thrust. It is likely that we will take a variety of propeller sizes and will make a point of trialling these over the course of the next 12 months.
In the yard itself we were shown a number of ARR (Atlantic Rowing Race) design boats that lie dormant, awaiting their next adventure. One of these we enquire after and await a response from the owner.
Briefly we also stopped and contemplated Peter Bird's boat, recovered by a Japanese Trawler after Peter sent out a distress signal on the 3rd June 1996 trying to cross the Pacific W-E.
After our office meeting we took a tour of the workshops and yard. The propeller that had been built for the earlier boat were surprisingly large in diameter, spanning probably 12 inches and encouraged us that our 80-85 rpm pedal cadence might yet produce some reasonable thrust. It is likely that we will take a variety of propeller sizes and will make a point of trialling these over the course of the next 12 months.
In the yard itself we were shown a number of ARR (Atlantic Rowing Race) design boats that lie dormant, awaiting their next adventure. One of these we enquire after and await a response from the owner.
Briefly we also stopped and contemplated Peter Bird's boat, recovered by a Japanese Trawler after Peter sent out a distress signal on the 3rd June 1996 trying to cross the Pacific W-E.
Rossiter Ocean Rowing Boats
Drive shafts and propellers
We arrived at Rossiter Quay at 08:45. Awestruck by the enormous looking multi-crew rowing boat that sat in on the quayside. Looking not unlike a maxi yacht without a mast, this is a serious piece of kit. It would be amazing to see these guys off in La Gomera in a months time or so.
Charlie Rossiter, the proprieter of the company kindly gives us a great deal of his time and we sit in his office discussing propulsion systems, boat steerage, buying options and likely costs. We cover time-frame of rebuilds/refurbishments and are pleasantly surprised by how quickly the yard could turn a boat around if needed. More importantly though we are impressed by their flexibility, having many crews coming down to the yard at the weekend to hijack their boat for a show, leaving the yard bereft for a few days until its return. To them, this is part of working with the individual teams and is very impressive.
We had a good look at the pedal drive mechanism previously developed for Justin Coleman's boat, 'Atlantic Song' and determine at least that the pedal mechanism would likely need to be level and the prop offset rather than the other way around, to avoid knee, ankle and hip injuries.
The original pedal drive comes from bikes such as these that are more often used in the far east as I understand. As you can see from the picture there is a slight offset from the crank to the drive at the rear and this explains why when you straighten up the bottom end and stick a propeller on it, you end up with a slight offset at the pedal end. Not ideal.
Conversely a slight offset of the propeller is unlikely to make a huge difference. (We hope).
We arrived at Rossiter Quay at 08:45. Awestruck by the enormous looking multi-crew rowing boat that sat in on the quayside. Looking not unlike a maxi yacht without a mast, this is a serious piece of kit. It would be amazing to see these guys off in La Gomera in a months time or so.
Charlie Rossiter, the proprieter of the company kindly gives us a great deal of his time and we sit in his office discussing propulsion systems, boat steerage, buying options and likely costs. We cover time-frame of rebuilds/refurbishments and are pleasantly surprised by how quickly the yard could turn a boat around if needed. More importantly though we are impressed by their flexibility, having many crews coming down to the yard at the weekend to hijack their boat for a show, leaving the yard bereft for a few days until its return. To them, this is part of working with the individual teams and is very impressive.
We had a good look at the pedal drive mechanism previously developed for Justin Coleman's boat, 'Atlantic Song' and determine at least that the pedal mechanism would likely need to be level and the prop offset rather than the other way around, to avoid knee, ankle and hip injuries.
The original pedal drive comes from bikes such as these that are more often used in the far east as I understand. As you can see from the picture there is a slight offset from the crank to the drive at the rear and this explains why when you straighten up the bottom end and stick a propeller on it, you end up with a slight offset at the pedal end. Not ideal.
Conversely a slight offset of the propeller is unlikely to make a huge difference. (We hope).
Snoring
Leaving late afternoon by train for Cambridge where I'm meeting up with Steve at the end of his day for a journey down to Christchurch in Dorset where we are due to have a meeting with Charlie Rossiter, owner of Rossiter ocean Rowing Boats.
We have already been in e-mail conversation with him over the last month or so discussing Justin's previous conversion of an ARR boat to pedal power and we hope to take this same design to completion.
Road closures and heavy traffic delay our arrival at Oakdene Caravan and Camping Park on the edge of the New Forest, where we eventually pitch up at 22:30 after a hasty meal on route.
Since Steve has recently bought a 'new' estate car, we opt for the sleeping in the boot option. I quickly disciver that I will be blessed by the need to pedal whilst Steve sleeps. I had been warned by his partner, Michelle, but snore doesn't even touch it. At 03:00 I decamp from the dry warmth of the car to my bivvi-bag and the grass outside and spend the remainder of the night smelling the grass in silence. Haaaa Zzzzzz
We have already been in e-mail conversation with him over the last month or so discussing Justin's previous conversion of an ARR boat to pedal power and we hope to take this same design to completion.
Road closures and heavy traffic delay our arrival at Oakdene Caravan and Camping Park on the edge of the New Forest, where we eventually pitch up at 22:30 after a hasty meal on route.
Since Steve has recently bought a 'new' estate car, we opt for the sleeping in the boot option. I quickly disciver that I will be blessed by the need to pedal whilst Steve sleeps. I had been warned by his partner, Michelle, but snore doesn't even touch it. At 03:00 I decamp from the dry warmth of the car to my bivvi-bag and the grass outside and spend the remainder of the night smelling the grass in silence. Haaaa Zzzzzz
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Contacts
We'll remind you all of this from time to time, since we'd be happy for you to share it, but here are a few places you can contact us from.
Website. www.atlanticrevolutions.com
Facebook Atlantic Revolutions
Twitter @AtlanticRevs
e-mail atlanticrevolutions@gmail.com
Website. www.atlanticrevolutions.com
Facebook Atlantic Revolutions
Twitter @AtlanticRevs
e-mail atlanticrevolutions@gmail.com
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