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| Stein Hoff, a 70-year old, is aiming to become the oldest man to row solo across the Atlantic. |
Stein Hoff, a 70-year old Norwegian doctor, is aiming to become the oldest man to row solo across the Atlantic.
Dr Hoff, who will embark on the 90-day 3,229 mile voyage on Sunday, will do so without the assistance of any support vessel.
He will leave Battery Park, on the tip of Manhattan on his epic voyage to St Mary on the Isles of Scilly.
It is the route taken by Georg Harbo and Gabriel “Frank” Samuelson, two Norwegian-Americans in 1896, when they became the first people to row across a major ocean.
It will be Mr Hoff’s third oar-powered transatlantic crossing, having been one of a two-man team which made the voyage in 1997. In 2002 he rowed solo – and unsupported – from Lisbon to Parika, near Georgetown, Guyana.
His Scottish-wife Diana, a fellow triathlete, has prepared the food for the voyage which, given the length of the journey, will be vacuum packed.
While he will be on his own, Dr Hoff will be well equipped. His English-built boat, Nordic Endurance, is furnished with radio, satellite phone, water maker and the internet.
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| Stein Hoff in training |
In addition to pre-prepared meals, Dr Hoff will live on home-made energy bars, cereal, milk powder and fruitcakes.
Although Dr Hoff will be the oldest man to make a solo transatlantic crossing in this manner, the oldest man to row the Atlantic is Peter Smith 74, one of a four-man team from Antigua.
However, at just over 2,960 miles their journey from the Canary Isles to Antigua was shorter than the trip Dr Hoff is undertaking.
Despite being something of a transatlantic rowing veteran, Dr Hoff admitted to being apprehensive.
“This is the biggest challenge I’ve had. I’d be stupid if I didn’t feel some apprehension. I realize it could be risky,” he told the New York Post.
“I live well, eat healthy. Everybody should have a challenge. People spend too much time at their desk and wasting their lives watching Game of Thrones.”
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