22nd July 2004
Ocean Fours Boat Redesigned

Over the past few months, race organisers Woodvale Events has designed and built a second boat for consideration in the Atlantic Ocean Fours Rowing Race 2006.

Constructed using the biax core cell sandwich method, the boat is lighter than the original design and some five foot shorter. After much consideration, Woodvale Events has now made the decision to switch to the new design for the following reasons:

• Boat production costs
• Accessibility of materials
• Build time
• Boat weight
• Durability of materials
• Boat life
• Performance of boat in adverse sea conditions
• Consistency of build - all boats will be built in one workshop

The Woodvale Ocean Fours Boat under construction. The boat is produced from a mould, so all teams will now be supplied with a finished boat, rather than the kit form proposed for the original design.

Thanks to our sponsors to date, Commando Joe has now raised sufficient funds to buy the boat kit and start building! The aim is to have it completed by autumn 2004 - but in order to make full use of the boat, and to get our training and familiarisation underway, we will need to acquire a trailer on which to transport it.

This will be the next target for our sponsor-seeking activity. We will be pleased to hear from companies or individuals interested in assisting us with the purchase or loan of the trailer.