{"id":8954,"date":"2019-02-05T14:22:13","date_gmt":"2019-02-05T14:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/konyukhov.ru\/?p=8954"},"modified":"2019-02-07T05:53:10","modified_gmt":"2019-02-07T05:53:10","slug":"q-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/konyukhov.ru\/en\/q-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Q&A"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fedor Konyukhov\u2019s rowboat, the \u201cAKROS\u201d is approaching an important milestone \u2013 halfway. \u00a0Having embarked on his journey on 6 December 2018 from the New Zealand city of Dunedin, the Russian explorer has rowed as far as the distance between Moscow and Lake Baikal \u2013 5,400 kilometres. \u00a0In this time, the Russian rower has set a number of records; the longest journey across the Southern Ocean in a rowboat \u2013 62 days (the previous record was set by a Frenchman Joseph Le Guen\u2013 59 days), with a greater distance travelled. \u00a0Also, Fedor Konyukhov has celebrated his 67th<\/sup> birthday at sea, and is today the oldest solo ocean rower in the world.<\/p>\n

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OCEAN ROWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND <\/a>NEW ZEALAND
\n(other than the Tasman Sea)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

From New Zealand W – E (South Pacific Ocean)<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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#<\/span><\/th>\nOCEAN ROWED<\/span><\/th>\nFIRST NAME<\/span><\/th>\nSURNAME<\/span><\/th>\nCOUNTRY<\/span><\/th>\nBOAT<\/span><\/th>\nMILES<\/span><\/th>\nDEPART<\/span><\/th>\nARRIVAL<\/span><\/th>\nDAYS AT SEA<\/span><\/th>\nFROM<\/span><\/th>\nTO<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Pacific W to E (Solo)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Joseph<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Le Guen<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n\n

(France)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Keepitblue.com<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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1770<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

03\/02\/00<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 02\/04\/00<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 59 days<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n —–Wellington (New Zealand)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n (Rescued)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Pacific W to E (Solo)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Jim<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Shekhdar<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n UK<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Ocean Challenge<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 50<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 16\/10\/03<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 16\/10\/03<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 1 day<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Bluff (New Zealand)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n — (Towed back for rePairs)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Pacific W to E (Solo)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Jim<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Shekhdar<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n UK<\/span><\/b><\/td>\nHornette<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n –<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 04\/11\/03<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n 18\/11\/03<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n14 days<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n Bluff (New Zealand)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n — (Picked up by Research Vessel Tangaroa)<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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The Ocean Rows from Australia and New Zealand. As Compiled by Oceanrowing.com<\/em><\/p>\n

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Subscribers have been invited to submit questions for Fedor Konyukhov, and we have tried to compile them and have him answer them.<\/p>\n

Check out Fedor\u2019s the answers to the questions below:<\/p>\n

Is there a lot of plastic and rubbish in the Southern Ocean?<\/strong><\/p>\n

FK: No, I haven\u2019t seen any plastic in the Southern Ocean \u2013 not a single bottle or plastic bag – despite being so close to the surface of the ocean.<\/p>\n

Is it true that the clouds above the ocean are different than the clouds above land?<\/strong><\/p>\n

FK: The clouds over the ocean are different, especially over the Southern Ocean. Lots of low cloud as this is a low pressure zone with constant cyclones.<\/p>\n

How many storeys tall was the tallest wave you saw?<\/strong><\/p>\n

FK: I haven\u2019t deliberately measured the height of the waves, but when I reach the crest I can see very far. \u00a0It feels like I am on the captain\u2019s bridge of a ship.<\/p>\n

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Are you scared?<\/strong><\/p>\n

FK: Any normal person is scared in such a boundless landscape and so far from civilisation. \u00a0But I am used to it and know what to do in such situations.<\/p>\n

Why are you doing this?<\/strong><\/p>\n

FK: This is how I live, this is my purpose in life \u2013 to explore our planet, myself and the world around me.<\/p>\n

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How does just one centimetre of hull withstand such conditions?<\/strong><\/p>\n

FK: The hull of the boat is made out of a composite \u201csandwich\u201d (an external layer of carbon fibre, polystyrene and an internal layer of carbon). \u00a0The underwater section of the hull is also reinforced with Kevlar, which is also used in bulletproof vests. \u00a0So far, the boat has withstood the strain.<\/p>\n

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What happens if the boat capsizes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

FK: The boat is built to return to an even keel in the event that it capsizes. \u00a0We deliberately conducted a rollover test in May of last year in England. \u00a0However, we conducted the test without all of the equipment or antennae attached. \u00a0Theoretically it should return to an even keel, but it would be better to avoid capsizing in these latitudes.<\/p>\n