Transoceanic rowing: discover the preparations of an adventurer

The Bateau-immatriculation team takes part in Dominique's transoceanic rowing adventure

Whether for a motorboat, a sailboat, or any other type of vessel, the experts at Bateau-immatriculation.com are happy to help you bring your projects to life. And what our team loves most is having the chance to accompany you and come aboard, right by your side. This is what we have done over the past few weeks, by taking part—in our own way—in Dominique's adventure! Here, we break down his project and how we were able to help him see it through.

Dominique, a lifelong athlete

Dominique is a family man, married and recently a grandfather. Originally from Lozère, he resides in the Bouches-du-Rhône department and works as a manager at a local refinery. He has been passionate about sports his whole life and has had plenty of opportunities to practice: rugby, skiing, windsurfing, ultra-trails, ultra-cycling or ultra-mountain biking, surfing, mountaineering… For a few years now, Dominique has been aiming for a new project: drawn to the sea and the unknown, he decided to carry out a transatlantic crossing aboard a transoceanic rowing boat. He explains: "I have little background in navigation, aside from my windsurfing adventures or a few sailing regattas as a simple deckhand. But I need to change things up, and I really want to cross the Atlantic Ocean using only the strength of my legs and arms, with the sole help of the currents." So, the adventurer chose to sign up for the World’s Toughest Row, a transatlantic race between the island of Tenerife in the Canaries and the island of Antigua in the West Indies. With this, he will dive "into the thick of it," with an ocean crossing that won't allow him to encounter a single island before the finish line.

Preparing for a first sea adventure

Dominique had his own transoceanic rowing boat built, an R25 Pair, and then signed up for the Martigues (13) rowing club to begin his training. He had two years to get up to speed and prepare to fully experience this adventure in complete safety. At 58, he set himself the goal of crossing the 3,000 miles that make up the Atlantic Ocean in 58 days.

Aboard his transoceanic rowing boat, Dominique has a main, central space dedicated to rowing, a cabin—where he will sleep—and a storage space for equipment. As for provisions, he is required to carry at least 85 days' worth of food, primarily freeze-dried. A watermaker installed on board will also provide him with fresh water: about ten liters every day.

Day or night, he will alternate periods of rowing with periods of rest, eating, personal care, and communication. For Bateau-immatriculation.com, Dominique explains: "12 hours of rowing a day would be a good average, but never all at once. I will have to find the most suitable and regular rhythm!"

Administrative problems registering the transoceanic vessel

While the navigator was equipping his boat and preparing physically for the transatlantic crossing, he nevertheless ran into a few difficulties. Specifically, on the administrative side, Dominique found himself facing a situation he could not resolve: the registration of his transoceanic rowing boat, which is essential for the race, was refused.

How was our team able to help Dominique?

By analyzing Dominique's file, we found the source of the problem: due to Brexit, at the time of the boat's delivery, the British manufacturer no longer had a manufacturer code recognized by the European Union. Based on our recommendations, his status was updated with the EU.

The Written Declaration of Conformity (WDC) was also a problem. Poorly filled out, the documents related to the vessel's conformity were not usable in their current state. On one hand, the notified body chosen by the manufacturer had an accreditation deficiency; on the other, there was a formatting error in the WIN (Watercraft Identification Number), or the boat’s serial number in English. And what might seem like a detail ultimately prevented the boat's registration.

Our professionals were able to quickly resolve the situation, notably by contacting the manufacturer. Working by his side, step by step, our team members were able to redo the entire portion of the file corresponding to the boat's conformity. With this solved, we were finally able to register the transoceanic vessel, much to Dominique's delight!

The adventurer is now ready to embark

Since July 2023, Dominique has rowed over 240 hours, covering approximately 450 nautical miles. He has completed several sea outings lasting from 10 to 36 hours in all types of conditions. Naturally, he has also spent a dozen nights at sea to test his craft and get organized. He is now fully prepared for the start of the race, which will take place in December…

If there is one thing Dominique's story reminds us of, it is that we are proud to contribute, in our own way, to the realization of your adventures on the water. So, whatever projects you are considering, contact our team and don't hesitate to entrust your file to us!