I know Ive been quiet as things have been storming along and the boat now sports a pair of sexy black knickers.

and even room for me

Have to put out a hug thanks to Tim and the team at CAD3D who are doing an awesome job of producing our Side Hulls and Wings in their 10 metres 5 Axis CNC. Often working through the night and weekened to get the job done for us.

Big thanks to the team at Styrobeck who supplied us with these huge blocks of Polystyrene for us to 3D CNC the Wings and side hulls from. Pictured with me is Tim Richardson from CAD3DNZ who is doing the CNC Shaping in the CNC to thr right of the picture.

Obviously stoked to have the team at 3M onboad providing all sorts of goodies from their huge product line. 

Yes I know we have been very quite and also very busy. See below...

This is the 1/10 Scale Model that the team at LOMOcean built to test the idea's we developed through their process. Yes it is self righting - Phew!

We have been busy taking up to 1200 photos a day of the boat build. The two cameras we have been using is mainly the Canon EOS 550D 18 mega pixel with a 18-135mm lens. This camera is generally set up in the boat shed with an auto remote plugged in allowing us to take photos automatically at any interval, e.g. every 5, 6 or 10 seconds, in fact any interval we choose. This has been great as it allows us to time capture the entire boat build process.

We were also supplied a compac A2200 14 mega pixel which has been great for taking snapshots while the other camera is in fixed position.

Want to thank Mike and the Team at Canon NZ for their support its really appreciated.

I was asked again in the weekend why am I doing this? Well there is two reasons: 

1. I have always been interested in adventures, in particular relating to the sea. Some of the first books I remember reading at School are Ernest Hemingway "Old man and the sea" and Thor Heyedahl about his Kon-Tiki Adventure. I first because interested in the journeys of Ocean Rowers reading Rob Hamils book "The naked Rower" and have followed it off and on ever since. I have always wanted to partake in some sort of Oceanic adventure and it was a matter of finding the right one.
   
   
2. My family has been hugely affected with Cancer and I always felt that one day I would like to do something to help. Cancer is a disease that effects almost everyone. There are very few people who can say that their friends and/or family has escaped its touch.

To put it bluntly I Hate Cancer. But I also view it as a part of life. For those that have wondered how I feel so strongly here's a brief role call about my history with Cancer:

• My Father Alan died of Adrenal Cancer
• My Father in-law Gavin died of Bowel Cancer
• My Mother in-law Robin beat Bowel cancer
• My surrogate Mother Gill (who has supported me since loosing mum and dad) is well on the way to beating cancer
• my brother in-law Richard died of cancer and his daughter Megan has beaten cancer
• My Grandmother and all four (boys) of her kids (including my dad) had or died from Cancer.
• My best friend growing up Father died of cancer

I could go on but I won't Cancer is a shit of a disease and those who have dedicated their life to trying to solve this disease deserve both a medal and all the support they can get.

So that's why I have always been interested in the sea and adventures and this combined for my search to somehow do something in the fight against cancer is where this journey was born.

Hi folks

Its been a frantic couple of weeks. Heres some pics of planking progress, will get more info foew in a few days....

Port hull almost ready for planking of core. Starboard hull still needs aligning and the buttocks added. Gaining shape quick. Very exciting. Apologies to Paul de wild for my bumbing apprentice skills....

Cnc cutting of frames 90% done and about half the frames standing. Starting to take shape....

More stella support coming in the form of Canon supplying camera's, video, tripods etc for time capture of the boat build, sponsor meetings, products, video of various activities etc.

Can you tell I'm getting very excited......... Am I what!

I'd to talk about an experience I had today. I called the head of The Laminex Group today to discuss some MDF and other materials I urgently needed to allow us to start the boat build. Now I wasn't asking for a couple of hundred dollars in stock but approx $15k. 3 hours later the product order was confirmed and on a truck. Next week we can start the build.

I have had my faith in the human spirit given a huge lift and For that Robert and Jeff I thank you very much for your generosity. I will ensure you receive the recognition you deserve.

Just had another meeting with Paul de wild at Pachoud Yachts and we are ready to start the build if I have the customwood, glu and screws by Friday.

Anyone got a big stack of MDF sheets they dont want???????

Just got back from another boat delivery from Fiji to Auckland. More sea miles and all great experience.

Our first Media coverage is a great two page feature in this months World Cup/International Boat Show edition of the Boating NZ magazine. I've been holding off talking to the media as I really wanted the story complete first. The story has come together and I'm stoked with the first article on the campaign. Grab a copy of the Magazine which is in a store near you.

Today being Fathers Day, I want to thank my father Alan Sunkel, this is the man that raised me to believe if you set your mind to it, you can achieve anything. This was reinforced all through my early life by him giving me responsibility and tasks in which I had no experience in. My first really solid memory of this was I guess roughly age 8 or 9, when he gave me the task of pulling the engine off one lawnmower and fitting it to another. That's pretty much all the instructions I was given and off I went and sometime later in the day proudly showed him it all done and running, sure it probably needed tweaking (not that he let on at all) but I had effectivly done it. There were so many times like this when he threw me in the deep end and left me to work it out and I would come out concouring things I would have never thought I could.

At age 44 Alan - Dad lost his 10 year fight with Adrenal Cancer, I was still seventeen but he had past on a wealth of knowledge of many things practical. I can't thank him enough.

Dad you are the inspiration for my ocean row you fought that disease with everything you had. Often people ask why I am doing this row. If I can do something to raise enough money for Cancer Research to give someone another birthday with their children or loved ones, then it's not much of a sacrifice.

Well after a full on design process here is my boat:

My design brief:

• Strong and safe
• Sexy
• Fast

Thanks to Craig, Andre And the team at Lomocean for my super slick and sexy boat.

Thoughts anyone?

I've been saying for a while a new plan is underway. After plenty of deliberation, advise and plenty of people saying your going to do what! The Tasman it is - Twice.

Following in the Father and Son campaigns of Colin Quincey New Zealand to Australia in 1977 and Shaun Quincey Australia to New Zealand in 2010. I will row the Tasman both ways. 

More details to follow...............

Ok many of you know as I decided this a while ago and have been working on alternate plans. I have decided that the indian ocean has become to dangerous with pirate activity moving south and west into the area that I indended to travel. The pirates have also up the anti instigating more attacks and think nothing of executing those caught.

You will see by the map of pirate activity changing by the year, I would have gone straight through this area. This has forced me to change my Journey to another part of the world. More to come later on this.

Roz Savage also rowing the Indian Ocean at present changed her Route (from the same route I was going to take) to finish in Mumbai India to try and avoid as much of this area as possible and has also had to switch off her systems that publish her location.

Well Im stoked to announce that the Team at Pachoud Yachts are confirmed as sponsors and their team are keen to build my boat. Know for producing high quality and innovative solutions. I am very excited to be working with them.

More to follow as it comes together.

Stoaked smashed my orginal test time after only 6 weeks!

Original time 12.55 over 2.2 km and did it today in 9.30. 31 press ups, max of 50 sit ups again and completed 2min prone. Over the 6 weeks I dropped my weight by 6 kg. To 87 the lowest weight I can remember since leaving farming in the mid 1990's.

Thanks to Luke, JT and Mudz at Mount Crossfit for a awesome 6 week session. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

2.2km run in 10.15 (improved by 2.40) 31 press ups and 100 situps. Prone hold for 1 min directly after (no rest) my situps.

Boot camp run to summit up the 4wd track then at top turned around ran about half way down o pick up the back of the crowd and back to top again. Of course me being me mentally strong, decided I could keep up with the quick guys, well that was great until my legs decided they werent quite up to it. Still about 6th or 7th to the top. So not bad for someone who doesnt run.

Started the Mount Crossfit boot camp today with a fitness test. 2.2 km run (12.55 min), 19 pressups and 50 sit ups. Yes I know, I know, I know I have alot of work to do.

Ok I've been needing to up the anti in my fitness. I'm starting a 6 week intensive bootcamp on Monday at mount crossfit. Not sure what im in for my should be a good Boost.

Big thank you to Stuart and the team at Fish Crazy Imports for agreeing to supply an Innovative Vacuum Packing Machine with all the bag Rolls we need to Vac & Seal any food, clothes spares etc to keehe salt water from doing what it loves in destroying any thing it touches.

We have been testing the packaging by sealing a bundle of paper towels and running it through the washing maching after about a dozen was cycles still no leaks. Based on this we are feeling confident this will do a great job on the boat.

Thanks again Stuart and if anyone needs one of these for sealing food etc check out them out.

Had a fantastic meeting today with a potential boat builder. They have a fantastic set up, seem like a great team and I'd love to work with them to produce my boat. 

Hopefully we will have something locked in next week and I will be able to tell you all about them.

Had a coffee with Shaun Quincey today. Was great to catch up as I had hardly talked to him since he followed completed the family Dynesty by becoming the first person to row Tasman from the Austrailia to New Zealand in 54 days last year. Shauns dad Colin was the first to do it in 1977 in the opposite direction from Hokianga Habour, New Zealand to Marcus Beach, Austrailia in 63 days

Well after great deliberation behind the scenes and after talking with the team along with Friends and Family, I have decided that the Indian Ocean is becoming to Marginal to cross. I had been quietly been planning to attempt to become the first person to row all the way to mainland afica.

Instead we are planning an alternate route on another ocean. I will let you all know about it in the next month.....

Ok after only a week, I get another peak and design progress and we have jumped from version 1 to 4B. I was impressed already but Craig Loomes and Andre Moltschaniwskyj and their team at Lomocean have stepped it up again. We had a great session on it and looks like many oppotuities for improvements still to come. Thanks guys keep it up.

Our thoughts are on Christchurch as they work through the aftermath of a horrifying event.

Thankfully as far as I am aware no one we know there is hurt, however there are still a few people we know of that havent been heard from - lets hope its simply they cant get in contact due to infastructure issues.

Away for weekend on boat and what do I get on my e-mail. The first version of the boat. Very nice. Craig Loomes and Andre Moltschaniwskyj and their team at Lomocean have done it again. Early design and still work in progress but definately different.

Thanks for the work you guys are putting in.

Great meeting today to kick off the formal boat design phase. We have been bouncing ideas around for a while but it was great to get together with Craig, Andre and Martin and make some big decisions. 

I'm getting excited now......

Well I must have done something right as Miles asked me back to assist bring the Motorboat MV Columbia back from Nadi to Auckland. Leaving ahead of a storm we had two days of good swells and wind on the Port beam. Leading to me again feeding the fish for the first few days but great to kick through with no drugs etc.

Really enjoy these trips and hope to get in 3 or 4 next season including a tasman crossing and at east one on a yacht.

Well I was privalleged to do my first bluewater scrossing on the Motorboat MV Columbia from Auckland to Fiji. Leaving on the tail of one storm and ahead of the next the first couple of days consisted of 4-5 metre swells and 25-40 knots. Other than feeding the fish for the first few days and sorting a couple of minor electrical issues it was a great Trip and thanks to Miles, Craig and John for having me on board.

Went to the boat show yesterday to catch up with a couple of clients. While there I had a wander around "As you do".

I had a chat to the guys on the Spectra stand about water makers. The watermaker is the most important piece of eqipement on the boat - yes even more important than the Oars as you can still actually live without oars. May not go anywhere fast but I tend to think living is more important.

The Spectra team had a perspex demo unit there so you could see the inner workings. I found this great as I have roughly known how they work but it was really good to see it working with the valves opening and closing and why the Spectra's are so efficient.  

Off this weekend to deliver Adi Kuila from Whitianga to Tauranga. I've been helping a few people with deliveries lately and keen to do more.

Let me know if you know of anyone needing experienced Captain or Crew for deliveries.

It is with regret to anounce that we have pushed the likely row date back into late next year.

My first priority is housing and feeding my family and we felt that with the tough couple of years our business has been through it would be a mistake to go to early. Instead this year will be about ensuring that the business is in a position for me to take the time out for this cause as well as continuing to build the campaign in prep for the trip.

I have had 100% support for this decision from my team and sponsors as they all agree that we want our campaign to be well prepared to ensure the best chance of success. 

It is with gleaming excitement that I welcome onboard Dr Rachel Brown. Actually Rachel gave me her commitment back before Christmas - where has time gone!

Who you might ask is....   Dr Rachel Brown Yes we officially have someone with Dr in front of their name on the team)
is a lecturer and sports nutritionist at the University of Otago. She has worked with individuals and groups with the goal of improving nutritional status and thereby influencing health, physical performance, and well-being.

Rachel sounds like his type of person when she first told me I would be able to eat anything and preferably the fattier the better and it wasn't a bad thing carrying a bit of extra weight - somehow I think that's not exactly what she said but it sounds good.

Not just here for her pretty face, Rachel has extensively researched the influence of diet on health, sports performance, body composition and energy regulation. Her expertise has been sought by some of New Zealand's top athletes. She has designed nutrition plans for the successful New Zealand crews in the Trans-Atlantic Rowing Challenge, America's Cup Yachtsmen, and Olympic Athletes.

More in depth profile coming in our new upgraded site - coming soonish.... 

I'm stoked to welcome Craig Loomes, Andre Moltschaniwskyj and their team at LOMOcean to our campaign. Many may be familar with some of their designs from their early Tournament to Ultimate Lady (winner of the 1998 International super yacht of the year award) and more recently Earthrace which smashed the world power boat circumnavigation on 2008 by two weeks!.

Craig and Andre I'm excited to be working with you and look forward to working with my dream design team and are honored by your belief in this campaign 

Who would of thought.... I've gone back to school to do my Boat Masters - I have always wanted to do this and have to say even though I have already spent 720 hours at sea this year I am learning good stuff each week.

Recommend it to any one spending time in a boat.

Attended Advanced Sea Survival course about a month ago and learnt heaps. Biggest lessons were in the practicle, trying to do things in the water while being blasted in the face with a high pressure hose. Basically a huge learning curve in all area's of sea survival. Have you ever tried swimming a couple of hundred metres in all your wet weather gear - good exercise - try it some time.

Also that when the life raft inflated it was tangled and twisted. Spent about 10 minutes in 1 meter waves while getting blasted with high pressure hose untangling it. Here's pic once it was sorted.

 Take away key point of the whole day stay in the boat until you have to step up into the life raft as they are small, full of water (we had five people in a 6 man raft and were chest deep in water) they stink of rubber and glue - not some where you want to spend unnessesery time, with a good chance of spewing your ring out...... Also big point is that people have been lost at sea by abondoning their boat for the raft and the boat has been found later still afloat.

Thanks to Shaun Quincey for the photo's before his camera went flat. Sorry the pics were pretty blurry - but you get the idea.

Survival at Sea - Now theres and idea...........

Booked into the Advanced Sea Survival Course on Thursday - Looking forward to ticking off another box on the way through the Journey.

Been reading about Currents, Currents and more Currents. 

Interesting but important, Been studying up on Indian Ocean current and where they flow. Also been interesting to learn how they change through out the year and also how various weather patterns effect the ebbs and flows.

Christ the more I read the more I learn how little I know.

I now have a shore manager that has the experience to both come up with innovative ideas and also tell me when my ideas rae any good or suck.

Thanks to Martin Carter for agreeing to act as our shore manager. Martin is a friend of ours and come with a huge (actually huge is an understatement) background in ocean racing yacht build and fitout. Now I've spoken to him heaps about some of the projects he's worked on, but I nearly fell off my chair when he sent me his CV and I realised actually how many he's been involved in. If I rolled up his specialties I guess its historically been repairs and installations to engineering, electrical, electronic, plumbing and hydraulic systems on local and overseas boats.

Heres a few to give you an Idea:
Currently At C-Quip overseeing the installation of their carbon fibre goodies in Superyachts worldwide

Recently - Project Managed build, refits and/or engineering systems for numerous boats including Volvo 70 ‘Telefonica', Open 60 class yacht Ecover, Ecover 3, Vendee Global Kingfisher many of these as Project Manager for Owen Clark Design or their clients.

Martin also has huge experience in managing or actual work on many other round the world boats, delivery of boats, shore crew and other duties for America's cup and Volvo Ocean teams etc etc etc etc.

Martin thanks for your support and believing in me. I can't wait to share this Journey with you as my key man on the ground.

Right I need to outline Port Group's support for the campaign. Phil Tidswell and the team at Port created our logo and are also currently busily designing up the website and other goodies. 

They have been great to deal with (helps when we share offices with them) and I can't speak more highly of them. Check out their website and see some of the great design work that they do.

I'd like to put in a special thanks to Gill and Jeff Brown from Upper Hutt who are the first people to stump up some cash for the cause. Gill and Jeff are my Aunt and Uncle as Gill was my mothers Sister and experienced first hand the Cancer that ravaged my father as my mum Nursed him over the years.

Gill and Jeff thanks - I appreciate the support and vote of confidence and hope I can only do you proud in this venture.

Its a bastard of a disease so bad we use it as a title for other things like saying a cars got cancel meaning its full of rust.

Yes I hate it, but its part of life. For those of you that don't know about my history with Cancer here goes

• My Father Alan died of Adrenal Cancer
• My Father in-law Gavin died of Bowel Cancer
• My Mother in-law Robin beat Bowel cancer
• My surrogate Mother Gill (who has supported me since loosing mum and dad) is well on the way to beating cancer
• my brother in-law Richard died of cancer and his daughter Megan has beaten cancer
• My Grandmother and all four (boys) of her kids (including my dad) had or died from Cancer.

Race: Woodvale Indian Ocean Race 2011

Distance: Over 3,132 nautical miles as the crow flies (Over 5800 kms) 

Date: Starts Sunday 17th April 2011

Route: Starting in Geraldton, Western Australia and finishing in Mauritius.

Duration: approx 80 - 110 days (serious!)

Solo Indian Ocean Row has only been successfully completed by 3 Individuals EVER! No Solo Entrants finished the 2009 race and the race was Won in 68 days, 19 hours and 40 minutes by the Bexhill Trust Challenger which was a team of four Brits.

We need your help see here  and we will have a full website up with much more info in the next couple of weeks.

Hi Folks

I've been busy training away, setting up charitable trusts (almost done) working through logistics and marketing/fundraising plans. Once finalised the Trust will ensure all funds donated and collected are split 50/50 between the Cancer Research fund and the campaign cost - once the cmapaign costs are covered then 100% will go to the research fund.

Now I need your help. We have an opportunity on a couple of boats but they are short term opportunities that are only available while boats wait for shipping.

We need your help to raise the funds to secure a boat, which in turn will help significantlt to bring on major sponsors as all rowers I have spoken to have said having the boat is the key to the rest of the campaign dropping into place.

So as the boys on the corner say - step right up, step right up, step right up, step right up............................. 

Note: Payment tools being Credit Card online, paypal, Internet Direct and Branch Banking all coming soon, but it would be great to hear from you with your pledge of support and we can sort out payment as soon as the Trust is finalised.

After countless hours online studing Ocean row boats and reading every blog and story I can get my hands and eyes on I have learnt a hell of a lot about the boats, what people use the set ups and why. Don't get me wrong I still have 99% of iit to learn but certenly feel much more in the know than when I started.

I have short listed two boats that I'm negotiating on and are keen to have something locked in soon so we can start real ocean training. Be interesting to be out this weekend in the forecasted 45 - 65 knots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Oh and yes I'm still going solo - Am I stupid or just plain crazy?

Actually more like completely re-written but it had to happen. It took my wife to point it out - I'm sure theres nothing abnormal about that.

To do an ocean row in less than six months was unrealistic. I needed to keep my business going during a recession and this would save a huge amount of pressure on my support team. It also means that we can take our time to put together a good professional campaign that will do justice to the effort my team are putting in as well as allow us to offer much better value to the sponsors that join in the fun.

So whats the new plan I hear you say. Well all will be revealed shortly............

I've just finished reading Tasman Trespasser. In 1977 Colin Quincey rowed across across the Tasman from Hokianga in the North to Marcus Beach North of Brisbane - Arriving pretty much out of food in 63 days. Now Colin did it when men were men and didn't have a cabin hatch to close when it was time to hit the pillow. In fact he would spend a good portion of his sleeping time, lying in water and waking enough to do a bit of bailing water before drifting off to sleep again.  

Colin I have to say you make modern ocean rowers including myself (when I have actually rowed an ocean) look like pussies.

Tasman Trespasser is a great read, I started reading it and couldn't put it down - finishing it in less than a week. I picked my copy up on Trademe and there were a couple of other copies on there when I bought mine.