Stu Morton12 February 2018

Rowing The Atlantic Solo - Stu Morton - #001

0Frameworks

11Insights

Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 1

Myth Buster35:00

Why More People Don't Row Faster

Contrary to intuition, teams of rowers aren't faster than solo rowers because the added weight and shared shifts balance out any advantage. Solo rowers can maintain similar speeds over 24 hours.

More people = more weight and food needed
Solo rowers can match team speeds over time
Power-to-weight ratio evens out performance
Solo finishers have beaten multi-person teams

“They can go faster but they're carrying more weight... I can keep the same sort of speeds over a 24-hour period.”
Stu Morton · 35:30

#ocean-rowing#performance#myth-busting

Explainer· 2

Explainer15:30

Why Rowing the Atlantic Is Harder Than It Looks

Ocean rowing is extremely monotonous and physically taxing, with no support once at sea. Unlike land-based endurance events, there's no option to quit or get rescued easily, making mental resilience crucial.

No support once at sea except in emergencies
Rescue is difficult and not guaranteed
Mental endurance is more important than physical
Cannot simply 'quit' like in a marathon

“It's incredibly monotonous and boring... you've just got to get on the oars and pull.”
Stu Morton · 15:30

#mental-resilience#endurance#survival

Explainer29:30

Why Rowing a Boat Is Different From a Concept2

Training on a Concept2 indoor rower doesn't fully prepare someone for ocean rowing. The actual boat is heavier, moves with waves, and requires constant balance adjustments, making real-world experience essential.

Concept2 rowers don't simulate ocean conditions
Actual boat is slower and heavier
Ocean rowing involves constant motion and balance
8-mile row took 2 hours, much slower than expected

“When I first got my boat I rowed it from the Tyne Bridge to the Royal Quays which is eight miles and it took me…”
Stu Morton · 30:00

#training#ocean-rowing#fitness

Story· 3

Story00:30

Rowing Across the Atlantic Solo

Stu Morton shares his plan to become the first person to row solo from mainland Europe (Portugal) to mainland South America (Venezuela), a route never before attempted by a single person. This journey is longer and more challenging than the standard Atlantic rowing race.

Attempting first solo row from Portugal to Venezuela
Route is about 1,000 miles longer than the standard Atlantic race
No one has ever completed this specific route solo
Motivated by doing something truly unprecedented

“I'm gonna row a wooden rowing boat from Portugal to Venezuela which has actually never been done before by anybody.”
Stu Morton · 00:30

#adventure#ocean-rowing#exploration

Story09:30

Training by Running Hadrian's Wall

To prepare for the physical and mental demands of rowing, Stu and a friend attempted to run Hadrian's Wall (84 miles) back-to-back. They failed initially due to injury but returned and completed it, using it as a test of endurance similar to what he'll face at sea.

Ran 84-mile Hadrian's Wall twice to test limits
First attempt failed at 65 miles due to stress fracture
Completed successfully in August
Helped simulate the 18-hour daily effort needed for rowing

“The run took around about the same time [as rowing]... it was more preparation.”
Stu Morton · 13:00

#endurance-training#mental-toughness#ultra-running

Story33:30

Sleeping in a Floating Coffin

Stu sleeps in a tiny, airtight cabin at the back of the boat—just six feet by two feet—resembling a coffin. He uses a para-anchor to stabilize the boat while sleeping, preventing drift and capsizing.

Sleeping cabin is 6ft x 2ft, airtight
Para-anchor keeps boat pointed into waves
Prevents drifting and reduces capsizing risk
No support if something goes wrong

“The one at the back is the one I sleep in. It's about... coffin dimensions. It's like six foot by two foot.”
Stu Morton · 33:30

#survival#sleep#solo-adventure

Tool· 4

Tool26:30

Eating to Get Fat for the Row

To survive the extreme calorie deficit of ocean rowing, Stu intentionally gained weight—from 85kg to 112kg—by eating high-calorie foods like pizza, ice cream, and chocolate, then switched to a keto diet to train his body to burn fat efficiently.

Gained 27kg (from 85kg to 112kg) before the row
Ate high-calorie junk food to gain weight
Switched to keto diet weeks before departure
Body will burn ~3,000 calories daily, losing ~1lb/day

“I've had to eat for a purpose which goes against everything... I've had to do the opposite of that.”
Stu Morton · 27:00

#nutrition#weight-gain#keto-diet

Tool48:00

Naked Rowing to Avoid Chafing

To prevent painful salt-sores from chafing, Stu plans to row mostly naked. He uses a sheepskin seat cover to reduce friction, as synthetic fabrics retain salt and cause sores.

Rowing naked prevents salt-sores
Salt crystals in fabric cause skin damage
Sheepskin seat cover reduces friction
Natural fibers better than synthetics

“If your t-shirt gets covered in salt water and dries, the salt crystals stay... you end up with sores really fast.”
Stu Morton · 48:30

#survival#health#gear

Tool50:30

How to Make Fresh Water at Sea

Stu carries a desalinator (water maker) that turns seawater into drinkable water using high-pressure filters. He also carries 120kg of fresh water as ballast and emergency supply.

Desalinator converts seawater to drinking water
120kg of fresh water used as ballast
Emergency water supply if desalinator fails
Water maker is plumbed into the boat

“On board I've got a desalinator... it sucks up seawater and turns it into drinkable water.”
Stu Morton · 51:00

#survival#water#gear

Tool52:00

Eating 7,000 Calories a Day

Stu will eat four 1,000-calorie freeze-dried meals daily plus a 3,000-calorie snack pack with nut butter, biltong, and energy gels to sustain energy, though he'll still lose about a pound a day.

Eats 7,000 calories daily
Four 1,000-calorie freeze-dried meals
Snack pack includes biltong, nut butter, gels
Still loses ~1lb/day due to 3,000-calorie deficit

“I'm gonna be hitting about 7,000 calories a day... and then the argument is you burn about ten [thousand].”
Stu Morton · 53:00

#nutrition#food#endurance

Takeaway· 1

Takeaway54:00

Supporting Veterans With Mental Health

Stu is raising money for Rock to Recovery, a charity helping veterans with PTSD. He highlights the lack of mental health support for returning soldiers compared to physical injuries.

Charity: Rock to Recovery UK
Focuses on PTSD and mental health in veterans
Provides immediate one-on-one support
Suicide rates among veterans are sky-high

“Unfortunately the same can't be said for mental health... you're just not well looked after at all.”
Stu Morton · 55:00

#mental-health#veterans#charity