Pete Collett, a Business Objects sales consultant in Australia, completed his solo Atlantic challenge on Saturday, February 16, 2008. On that day, he rowed into Antigua and won the Atlantic Rowing Race in 75 days, 23 hours, and 46 minutes. He was streamed in for a live chat at the BusinessObjects field sales kickoff meeting and partner summit in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The English-born Australian citizen piloted one of only two single-person crafts in the field of 25, beating Canadian Paul Attalla by 33km and two of the two-man crafts.
Daily Telegraph, February 18, 2008
The following details were retrieved from the Internet Archive of his decommissioned Atlantic Solo Challenge website.
The Rower – Pete Collett
Education: Bournemouth University, UK
Resident: Sydney, Australia
Height/Weight: 6’3″ / 91Kg
Sailing: Multiple ocean races Sydney to Hobart (’04)/ Southport(’02/’03/’04)
Mooloolaba (’03/’04)/ Hamilton Island (’04). Tahiti Nui Cup (’02). Falmouth to Cork (’98)
Hobbies: Surfing, Sailing, Spearfishing, Rowing, Running, Scuba diving
The Boat – Charmed Life
The boat Pete will use for the race is called Charmed Life. It is a one-design Rowsell and Morrison boat, designed specifically for rowing oceans. It was built in 2003 and at the time was the most expensive two-man ocean rowing boat ever built! Launched by David Beckham and following 2 successful Atlantic crossings in 2003 and 2005 (60 and 61 days), Pete is now setting her up for his own trip.
This boat will be Pete’s home for up to 100 days and has been designed specifically for ocean rowing. She is made of 6mm thick marine plywood with a coat of epoxy resin for strength and resilience to water. The boat provides shelter in the rear cabin, which also houses all on-board electrics (solar powered). All food supplies will be stored in sealed bags underneath the rowing deck near the solar powered water maker.
In the likely event of a capsize the boat is designed to right herself due to several design factors the watertight cabins fore and aft are an egg shape which is extremely unstable when upside down, moreover the air trapped in the cabin keeps the hull buoyant and combined with the heavy stores in the keel creating a high center of gravity will cause the boat to right herself.
The Challenge
The WoodVale Atlantic Rowing Race is one of the world’s toughest nautical challenges and the ultimate test of mental and physical strength and endurance. It has proven to be one of the world’s last great adventures: more people have stood on top of Mt. Everest than have rowed an ocean. This grueling 2,900 nautical mile ocean rowing race will start from La Gomera, Canary Islands, on 3rd December 2007, and will finish 60-120 days later in Antigua, West Indies.
This will be the 5th race that has been run from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean and will involve up to 60 identical, 7 metre, ocean designed rowing boats and their crews. In between the two islands lies the ultimate test: a chance to prove oneself against not only the challenges of the ocean, but against the tempests in the rowers’ mind, pushing the human spirit to the limit. The rowers will battle against storms, giant waves, constant physical exertion and mental fatigue. There are no motors and no sails on the boat; the main fuel onboard will be the desires of the individual rowers to succeed.
Pete Collett will be in the race, attempting to become the first Australian citizen to row unassisted across an ocean solo. He is dedicating his entry to the great work being carried out by the charity Alzheimer’s Australia.
Atlantic Solo Challenge – Mission Statement
“To successfully navigate the Atlantic Ocean in an unassisted, one-man rowing boat whilst taking part in the most challenging endurance race the world has ever seen. By raising in excess of $200,000 for Alzheimer’s research; delivering massive global exposure to key sponsors; and achieving his own personal goals, this is Peter’s way of making his one life, count!”.
For More Information
You can read more about Pete Collet’s experience at:
- Atlantic Solo Challenge, Pete Collett’s official web site
- Sea-sick rower Pete Collett is unlikely Atlantic hero, from The Daily Telegraph
- Pete Collett Atlantic Solo Challenge using Google Search
- Follow Peter Collett on LinkedIn
