37 things you’ll want to take on an ocean rowing expedition
Author: Chris Shirley MA FRGS
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In 2017, I rowed over 3500 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean with 4 other guys, this is some of the kit I couldn’t live without and wished I’d had.
1. Vivobarefoot Ultra III shoes
We really love these aquatic shoes, so much so that they’re still going strong some 5 years later (they come out on bikepacking trips with us from time to time!). They work well in the sun, when it’s raining, with waterproof socks and don’t ever smell (because they’re waterproof obvs!). Check out our specific review of these shoes here or in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
2. Aquapac waterproof phone case
This is a no-brainer. You want to communicate with friends, family and supporters before and after the expedition. Make sure your phone makes it to the finish line with you.
The boat can get really jerky during big swell so it’s good to minimise the likelihood of losing your glasses with a retaining strap.
Sleep is a precious and rare commodity on board an ocean rowing boat so make yourself as comfy as you can – we never realised how good these are until we used it on our Atlantic crossing!
5. Head torch
You’ll need to see where you’re going when moving around the boat, to ensure you don’t get caught up in the lines or step on something important. Whilst the moon does illuminate most nights, you’ll still find some that are completely dark (either through cloud cover or the limited visibility).
6. Dry bags for keeping stuff in
You will get wet on an ocean rowing expedition, there’s no doubt about it – and if you’re a team, there may not be space to get dry on the deck (especially whilst wearing a leash). Keeping delicate and important items protected is therefore a challenge, hence the need for different coloured waterproof bags.
You’ll thank us when you’re getting soaked by freezing cold waves in the dark and the cold water isn’t going into your ears thanks to the ear flaps!
8. Audible
Warding off boredom can be a challenge on ocean rowing expeditions, especially when there is no phone signal and limited internet in the middle of the ocean. Therefore, it’s wise to take many audio books that you can listen to on the expedition as you fancy. If you’re like us, you won’t want to feel like the whole expedition is solely about rowing, but also a chance to reflect and learn – this is where Audible proved useful to us.
9. Films
We managed to watch a number of films whilst on our expedition, managing around 15 minutes before falling asleep after each shift.
It’s not easy making coffee on the boat, but the other team members will be your best friends if you do make them one.
11. Sunhat
The sun can be relentless when you’re rowing for weeks on end, be sure to protect yourself so that you don’t fall foul of it!
12. Rite in the rain waterproof notepad
There may be occasions where you need to make notes on something other than your smartphone. Take this and use a lead pencil in case of emergency note making: GPS co-ordinates; radio frequencies; timings etc.
For days when it’s cold, wet and windy, you’ll need full foul weather gear to prevent you from becoming damp and hypothermic.
14. Lightweight waterproof jacket
For hot nights where full foul weather gear would cause you to overheat, however repeatedly soakings over a prolonged period may cause a cold weather injury.
15. Sealskinz Waterproof socks
We wore these with the Vivobarefoot aqua shoes listed above and had nice, dry feet even when it’s super cold (and it does get super cold at night). Other team members wore trainers that ended up stinky and manky after a few weeks. Once they got wet, it was impossible to get them dry again on an ocean rowing boat and so they stayed that way, meaning that infection could get into the body through small cuts on the feet. When combined with inadequate nutrition, a polyphasic sleeping pattern and poor daily hygiene, it’s a recipe for disaster. Avoid wearing trainers if you can!
16. Talcum powder
For keeping things hygienic and dry after numerous soakings. Use sparingly so as not to form a paste (remember Ross’ predicament with the leather trousers for how this might play out..!)
17. Microfibre towel
To dry yourself before getting into dry clothing and the sleeping bag, you’ll use when coming off between shifts so getting a microfibre towel instead of a normal pile one means it’ll absorb more water and smell less.
18. Vaseline jelly
Useful for keeping everything moving and minimising on chaffing.
Keep the lips in good order to prevent them burning and peeling (if you’ve ever experienced it before, you’ll understand how irritating it is!).
Life on an ocean wave has a tendency to destroy delicate items (especially if you’ve got a large team that change position every few hours!), so making sure we had a spare charging cable proved to be vital.
The sea and sun dries your skin out like you’d not believe, keep some moisturiser with you to keep your skin hydrated.
For documenting the experience and sending photos for your sponsors to use, go with an action cameras as a minimum (especially for those vital underwater shots).
23. Flexible phone and action camera tripod
You’ll want to get the cool angles to bring your story to life, so this flexible tripod is useful for getting the right angle. Be sure to attach the camera to somewhere secure to ensure you don’t lose all the cool photos and video!
24. Protective memory card case
To keep your memory cards safe and from accidentally erased, take a small hard case.
25. Carabiners
Inevitably, you’ll lose items over the side of the boat, so be sure to secure them on to something using different sized carabiners. Be aware, salt water will degrade the springs over time so be sure to check the return on the gate before trusting your expensive item on it!
26. Nylon paracord (to secure things with)
Also known as ‘550 cord’ in some circles, this is super useful stuff for any expedition, however crucial in ocean rowing to make sure you don’t lose important items.
27. Multitool
It’s always useful to have a multitool for expeditions like this as you can never anticipate all the challenges you’re going to face when thousands of miles out to sea.
28. Personal Medical kit
The boat should have a general medical kit which is put together based upon medical guidance. Having had first aid training (FREC 3 and some EMT training) and deployed on disaster response missions to remote Nepal, the Caribbean (after Hurricane Irma) and the Philippines, we often take general things such as wide-ranging antibiotics, cold and flu, painkillers, plasters etc. Note: please consult a medical professional before building a personal medical kit to suit your needs.
29. Pulse oximeter with heart rate monitor
It’s handy to see what your oxygen levels and heart rate are doing for if you’re concerned about something and need to speak to a medical specialist for help with decision making. It doesn’t weigh very much and gives supporting evidence if you or one of the team needs evacuation from the expedition.
30. Thermometer
Same reason as above, assessing the core body temperature is quite crucial for a medical professional to help decide whether to recommend an evacuation.
31. Effervescent electrolyte drink tablets
Not only do they make your water taste more interesting than the slightly salty (yet obviously desalinated) stuff you’ll be drinking but they also keep your electrolyte levels at the correct levels to optimise the effectiveness of your rowing shifts, particularly over a prolonged period.
32. Soft top, wide opening 800ml sports bottle
We preferred these kinds of sports bottles, as they hold a lot of water (almost a little, meaning you probably won’t have to refill them on a rowing shift), had a soft lid so you didn’t hurt your mouth when trying to drink in rough seas and it had a wide opening so you easily add recovery powder to it if you wanted.
You can always tell an adventure newbie when they try to eat dehydrated meals with a small spork and get covered in the food they’re trying to eat. Save yourself potential embarrassment and opt for the long-handled version!
34. Multi-vitamin tablets
We took a general selection of vitamins to supplement the dehydrated meals we took with us whilst at sea. Note: please consult a medical professional before selecting vitamins to suit your needs.
35. Large Waterproof dry bag to keep things safe
As you can imagine, water gets everywhere when you’re in a small cabin for weeks at a time, so different coloured dry bags are a must to remember where you secured everything when you went out on shift at 3am in the morning!
36. Stanley classic hip flask (for the finish line)
It’s always good to have a hip flask filled with your finest tipple to celebrate reaching the finish line, we like to keep it safe in the Stanley classic hip flask as it has taken a beating over the years yet is still going strong!
37. JBL tune 115BT wireless headphones
We bought these wireless headphones in mid-2022 headphones for using with all of our favourite adventure sports – such as bikepacking, trail running, and gym work however think they’d be preferable to our wired headphone cable (due to the cheap price, water resistance, easy of use and robustness). Read our full review here.
Frequently asked questions about ocean rowing:
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Ocean rowing is a sport in which participants row a small boat across an ocean. It is a physically and mentally challenging endeavour that requires a high level of endurance and determination.
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The time it takes to row across an ocean will depend on the distance of the crossing, the speed of the boat, and the conditions of the ocean. Some crossings have taken as little as a few weeks, while others have taken several months.
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Ocean rowing boats are typically small, sturdy craft that are designed to be self-sufficient and able to withstand the challenges of ocean conditions. They are usually equipped with a cabin or sleeping area, as well as storage space for supplies and equipment.
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Ocean rowers typically use a combination of GPS, compass, and other navigational tools to plot a course and stay on track. They may also use satellite phones and other communication equipment to stay in contact with land-based support teams.
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Ocean rowing requires a high level of physical fitness and mental endurance. Rowers typically undergo extensive training and preparation before attempting a crossing, including strength training, endurance training, and practice with the boat and equipment.