Since 2018, Fedor Konyukhov has been planning a solo circumnavigation of the Southern Hemisphere on the ocean rowboat “AKROS.” The expedition is divided into three stages, each commencing during the summer months of the Southern Hemisphere.
Stage 1 began on December 6, 2018, from New Zealand’s port city of Dunedin to Cape Horn (South America), covering 6,400 nautical miles. Fedor Konyukhov arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, on May 9, 2019. It took him 154 days and 13 hours to traverse 11,525 kilometers (6,402 nautical miles), marking the first successful solo crossing of the Southern Pacific Ocean in the history of ocean rowing.
During this expedition, Fedor set several world records verified by the Ocean Rowing Society International (UK) and submitted for recognition in the Guinness Book of Records:
- He became the oldest solo rower at 67 years old.
- He reached the southernmost point achieved by a solo rower at 56°40′ southern latitude.
- He spent the longest time in the Southern Ocean—154 days (surpassing the previous record of 59 days held by French rower Joseph Le Guen).
- He covered the longest distance in the “Roaring Forties” and “Furious Fifties” latitudes—11,525 kilometers.
- He became the first and only person to row across the Pacific Ocean in both directions (from east to west, Chile to Australia in 2014, and from west to east in 2019).
Fedor Konyukhov wrote a new page in the history of ocean rowing
Stage 2 is set to begin in December 2024, starting at Drake Passage (Cape Horn) and concluding at Cape Leeuwin in Albany, Western Australia.
The final stage will take Fedor from Australia to New Zealand. The exact finish points may vary depending on the weather conditions. To date, no successful rowboat expedition has crossed the Southern Ocean and rounded Cape Horn.
Challenges in the Southern Ocean
Weather poses a major threat to ocean rowers. The cyclonic motion of storms traveling eastward around Antarctica often intensifies due to temperature contrasts between the ice and open ocean. This region below 45° south latitude experiences the strongest winds on Earth. During winter, the Pacific Ocean freezes up to 65° south latitude, and the Atlantic up to 55° south latitude, with surface temperatures plunging below 0°C. Coastal areas may remain ice-free due to relentless winds stripping the shoreline.
Icebergs, ranging from meters to kilometers in size, are a constant hazard, alongside smaller fragments and sea ice (1-2 meters thick). At any time, more than 200,000 icebergs may populate these waters, with many exceeding 500 meters in length.
The Southern latitudes, between 40° and 60°, are infamous among sailors as the “Roaring Forties” and “Furious Fifties” for their extreme weather, storm-force winds, and massive waves. From May to October, floating ice adds to the peril, while the region’s remoteness complicates search-and-rescue operations.
The Rowboat “AKROS”
Survival in such conditions requires a specially designed vessel. British designer, Phil Morrison, built all three of Fedor’s rowing boats. In 2002, “URALAZ”, which Fedor navigated across the Atlantic in a record 46 days. The second rowboat was named “TURGOYAK” or “K9”, on which Fedor crossed the Pacific Ocean from Chile (Concón) to Australia (Mooloolaba) in 160 days. The third rowboat “AKROS” was designed for the Southern Ocean followed bodylines of “TURGOYAK,” with modifications for harsher conditions. The boat is 9 meters long and features a crush-resistant bow, watertight compartments for 200 days’ worth of provisions, and a reduced cockpit to minimize the risk to the rower of being swept away by large waves. The aft section, extended by half a meter, includes three watertight compartments: a navigation room (starboard), a kitchen (portside), and a resting area. The steering gear and autopilot are housed in a separate watertight compartment.
Two independent power generation systems are onboard:
- Flexible solar panels with 23% efficiency—the highest ever used on Fedor’s boats. These will be tested in the Southern latitudes and are similar to those planned for the “Albatross” solar-powered flight around the world project.
- EFOY fuel cells, which generate electricity via an electrochemical reaction between methanol and oxygen, produce water and carbon dioxide as by-products.
Construction and Equipment
The “AKROS” was built in England by Rannoch Adventure (Burnham-on-Crouch) in 2018 and refitted after the first stage in the UAE at Trident Marine shipyard. The boat is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including a Starlink Mini terminal, Iridium satellite phones, and an Iridium Go for communication and navigation. An interactive map will allow real-time tracking via Iridium 360 RockStar. Additional navigation tools include a chart plotter, AIS radio, and multiple GPS systems with independent power supplies.
Fedor Konyukhov’s Experience
Fedor is no stranger to this route. In 2007, during the Antarctica Cup campaign, he completed a circumnavigation of Antarctica aboard the 85-foot yacht “Alye Parusa” (Scarlet Sails) in 102 days. This record was later surpassed by Australian sailor Lisa Blair in her solo circumnavigation.
The Southern Ocean, also known as the Antarctic Ocean, encompasses the waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans surrounding Antarctica. It forms a unique “fifth ocean” with no northern boundary marked by landmasses.