Cornwall man to sail 3,000 miles across Atlantic on 'sustainable' boat

Dan Dicker, founder of Perranporth-based sustainable drinkware specialist Circular&Co, Jon Wilburn, a teacher at Springfield Primary School in Portsmouth, Jason Howard, a physiotherapist, and Steve Potter, a recently retired primary school head teacher, aim to raise £200,000 for Diabetes UK, Cancer Research and The Final Straw Foundation with a 3,000-mile row across the Atlantic in the most sustainable boat ever built
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Four men are preparing to row across the Atlantic in a boat as sustainable as possible. Dan Dicker from Perranporth and three other pals will row 3,000 miles from San Sebastian de La Gomera in Spain to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua.

The founder of Cornwall-based sustainable drinkware specialist Circular&Co will be joined by Jon Wilburn, a teacher at Springfield Primary School in Portsmouth, Jason Howard, a physiotherapist, and Steve Potter, a recently retired primary school head teacher.

They aim to raise £200,000 for Diabetes UK, Cancer Research and The Final Straw Foundation in their unique vessel. Dan said: "This idea started, as many of these things do, as a chat down the pub – and now we’re rowing the Atlantic! We’re thrilled to be raising funds for causes close to our hearts.

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"Jason’s son, Jake, has lived with diabetes since he was 10, I lost my mum to cancer 14 years ago and The Final Straw Foundation is a local charity dedicated to keeping our oceans clean." Composite boats are notoriously difficult to recycle or dispose of.

But Dan said their boat, a bit like the coffee cups Circular&Co designs in Perranporth and has been made by a specialist polymer company in St Austell, is not only made from recycled materials but will also be fully recyclable at the end of its useful life.

In the crew alongside Dan will be Jason, who will ensure the team’s wellbeing throughout the race, monitoring both their physical and mental health in the ever-changing environment. Jason will compile a ‘health report’ for each crew member to highlight how resilience in challenging conditions can relate to everyday life.

Meanwhile, teachers Jon and Steve plan to deliver live lessons from the heart of the Atlantic. With the theme “We’re Changing Tomorrow Together”, their lessons will reach students globally, with a focus on innovation, environmental understanding and inspiration in the hopes of sparking discussions around key environmental issues such as marine pollution.

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The team’s efforts also extend beyond the race itself, as they will be collaborating with Professor Richard Thompson of Plymouth University to track and analyse plastic pollution, contributing to the university’s groundbreaking work on developing software which can track large plastic items out at sea via satellite.

Dan added: "Our boat is more than just a vessel. It’s a statement on the potential of circular design. We want to show the world that plastics when used responsibly, can be repurposed and reused. This mission is about inspiring change and encouraging everyone to embrace circularity in their daily lives."

The challenge was officially announced on Friday 6 September at the Marine Station, part of the University of Plymouth, with 58 pupils from a local school invited to enjoy a sneak peek of the crew’s live lessons.

The students were able to climb into and explore a boat on land and see examples of food supplies and kits. Family, friends and colleagues were also taken for a spin in the official boat, where they had the opportunity to try rowing for themselves.

For further information or to support the team’s efforts, visit Lessons from a Boat. The team anticipates to leave Britain on December 12.

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