In 1966, Sergeant Chay Blyth (with zero rowing experience) and Captain John Ridgway set out to row across the North Atlantic Ocean. They departed from Orleans near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on June 4 aboard the 20-foot open dory English Rose III, a fishing dory costing less than £200. They sat so low in the water that they had to raise the gunwale by 9 inches, following local fishermen's advice. Ninety-two days and 3,000 miles later they arrived in Ireland.Two others who set out at the same time were never seen again.
Image Credit: Sir Chay Blyth and Captain John Ridgway Row
At 73, in 2028, Australian adventurer Don McIntyre will do what no one has done in over 30 years! And he is challenging sailors and adventurers to join him.
A world first Real Ocean Row (ROR) of 3200 miles across the Atlantic, from Rubicon Marina Lanzarote to the National Sailing Academy in Antigua. A truly “Human Powered” rowing race like it’s 1966, where modern technology is banned!
No GPS, No satellite phones/starlink, No electric watermakers, No autopilots, No computers, No shoreside weather routers, just sextant, paper charts, compass, Radio, wind up watches, a barometer and cassette tape music while rowing.
In 1966 Sergeant Chay Blyth teamed up with Captain John Ridgway for a daring adventure and set off to row across the North Atlantic in a 20ft modified fishing dory “English Rose III”. They had ZERO technology, just a sextant, paper charts, compass, radio, cans of food and water in a very heavy boat with very little freeboard. They survived – just! The ROR follows in their footsteps and honours their adventure.
Modern ocean rowing races have become a popular sport and high-profile social media event. Up to 50 boats a year are crossing the Atlantic in record time of 30-50 days solo. Modern equipment and technology “creep” over the past 30 years has slowly reduced human powered effort and dramatically increased speed for these races! This in turn has opened the opportunity to people who would not normally consider an ocean row in their capacity. It’s certainly easier than 1966! Now McIntyre Adventure will “reboot” ocean rowing back to its roots with the Real Ocean Row! (ROR)
The official international adjudicator of ocean rowing and Guiness World Records, the Ocean Rowing Society (ORSI) established in 1983, has one founding rule. Quote: “Any use or attempted use of equipment to deliberately reduce human powered effort and or increase boat speed, will result in being ineligible for a human powered crossing.”
All “modern” ocean rowing races use solar powered watermakers to save up to 220kg weight per person. GPS chart plotters and electric autopilots keep the boats racing on course at 2-4kts while the rower sleeps or enjoys a cup of tea. Shoreside weather routers direct rowers to the best currents and away from worst weather. Satphone and Starlink video calls to trainers, family and partners reduces the psychological stress/mind game of rowing. The use of this equipment reduces human powered effort and directly increases boat speed! By ORSI standards, is this still ineligible for Human Powered status? On paper, maybe not? Still a tough row for sure but?
In July 2007, Erden Eruç set out from California to row across the Pacific Ocean in a 7.1m plywood rowboat he built. Five years, 11 days, 12 hours and 22 minutes later, Eruç returned home after rowing the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans and cycling across three continents: to become the first person in history to circumnavigate the world solo by human power securing 15 world records!.
Today he is preparing his Biscay 36 to race in the 2026 McIntyre Golden Globe Race!
Australian Adventurer and well-known organiser of three retro around the world yacht races Don McIntyre has been thinking of rowing an ocean for 30 years. In 1996 he met the founder of the ORSI Kenneth Crutchlow and spent a few days together discussing ocean rowing. A seed was sown but other adventures prevailed. Over the years McIntyre witnessed how much easier it has become and wonders if any rower could even cope with the idea of doing it like 1966. But for him, that is the attraction and the only way. So, at 73 in 2028 he will try to do it in the footsteps of his friend Sir Chay Blyth and is challenging anyone else bold enough to join this ROR adventure, like it’s 1966!
Jasmine Harrison is a double World Record holder, having been the youngest woman to row the Atlantic solo at 21, and the only woman to swim the full length of the British Isles. In March 2026 she completed the McIntyre Mini Globe Race having sailed 28,000 miles solo around the world in her 19-foot (5.8-meter) plywood yacht. Pic. Jasmin in her R15 rowing the Talisker Atlantic Challenge.
“I really enjoy adventures with an historic connection that relates to those who did it first! Will I cope as well as them? Or at least understand better what they went through? Talking with so many rowers over the years I knew if I did it, it would be in the footsteps of Blyth and Ridgeway. I read their book in the early 70’s and it was truly scary. My boat, safety gear and training will be a bit better, and Tradewinds of the Atlantic will be kinder than their hurricanes, but I don’t underestimate how challenging this ROR may be. Everything will be slower, heavier, more work and more human than current modern ocean rowers. Right now, I am overweight, unfit and have never even sat in a rowboat! My challenge is real and I am up for it. Not sure if anyone else will? ROR is hard but is “Human Powered” under OSRI rules and that is special, so let’s hope I can make it!”
Turkish British sailor Ertan Bescardes entered the 2018 and 2022 Golden Globe races but retired both times. In March 2026 he completed the McIntyre Mini Globe Race in TREKKA, his 19ft plywood yacht, having sailed 28,000 miles solo. He is currently preparing his Rustler 36 to compete in the 2026 McIntyre Golden Globe. He has also entered the 2028 ROR with his wife, Arzu! Pic. Sailing Trekka with ARZU in Fiji.
MODERN CLASS: Security sealed Auto pilot, electric watermaker, GPS are carried onboard. At any time during the ROR, if an entrant cannot cope with the ROR rules for any reason, damaged sextant, too tired, or lack of water? Etc. the security seals can be broken, and entrant enters the ROR ‘MODERN CLASS’ and continues rowing, able to use free sat coms, weather routing, electric watermaker, GPS, Auto Pilot etc the same as all current “Modern” ocean rowers, so the ROR adventure continues, but not under ROR “Human Powered” rules.
Details at www.RealOceanRow.com
NOTE: ROR Entries open and “Notice of Row” issued June 1st, 2026, Limited to 16 boats, solo or pairs only. Seniors solo class over 65. ORSI Class 1 & 2 boats accepted with a special class for Woodvale and amateur-built boats. No “Blow Boats” but Rannoch “Blown Boats” OK. Start Dec. 8-14th 2028. Run every four years. Yacht Master Theory, or ocean sailing experience required. Survivor 35 manual pump desalinator use allowed.