Hulu:  Derivative of a Polynesian word meaning “To overcome all”.

Foam sandwich/Kevlar construction; 30ft OAL, 24ft water line, ocean row boat; design and plans drawn up by Bill Dixon, along classic Uffa Fox lifeboat lines. Built by Woof Boats in Exeter, Devon, in 1983. Self-draining cockpit, and self-righting, [hopefully] in event of capsize. Original preliminary sea trails carried out off Plymouth Sound, October 1983. Further trials off Los Cristianos, January 1984. Modifications to oarlocks carried out, plus minor alterations. Useless and hazardous objects, detached and thrown into the sea! Having tripped and pierced my foot on a fixed but non essential item.   Fully laden and equipped, displaced 1.5 tonnes of sea water.
 
Food:  Bulk of rations consisted of army composition rations, supplemented with dehydrated and perishable high calorie feed packs. Extra tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar, glucose tablets, salt, plenty of rice and dried vegetables.
 
Water:  120 gallons of treated [chlorine tablets] fresh water, in 4 separate compartments [each approx. 25 gallons] replaceable with sea water doubling as stability ballast. Solar still also taken, and tested for RFD. Proved of insufficient strength and durability for effective use under Atlantic conditions at the time.

Safety and survival gear: Ship to ship/shore Kelvin Hughes VHF radio, but Mast broken and salt water contamination after first storm. [2 weeks]. Rendered useless. No further communication thereafter.

Hulu moored off the beach at Los Cristianos.
January 1984

Lokata Radar warning device. Only effective if ships operating radar. No requirement outside shipping lanes, therefore of limited use. First aid and medical Case, designed and put together by St. Thomas’ Hospital. E.P.I.R.B. and S.A.R.B supplied by Locat. Life jackets and buoyancy aids, Fishing gear etc. Foul weather gear, safety harness. R.O.R.C offshore flare pack. Hand held mini flares both position location and distress. A pre-arranged visit to MRCC Falmouth with notification of my intended voyage, details of the boat and equipment, together with contact details of next of kin. Also informed me of their search and rescue procedure.

Navigation: Using Davis sextant, Reed Nautical Almanac 1984, sight reduction tables for air navigators. [selected latitudes]. Celestial bodies used. Sun, moon [upper and lower limb] selected stars; Polaris [low on horizon at night. Too low for star fix, but handy to keep on the left if rowing by night]. Aldebaran, Arcturus: Constellation Orion = [Rigel, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, Nintaka, Alnitak + Sirius, the hunter’s dog.] Ursa Major = [Merak, Dubhe, Alkaid] and on occasions Capella and Vega. Planets; Venus/Mars if and when appropriate.

Chart table: Charts, instruments etc, in fore blister. [Sleeping area and reserve food/dry clothes and personal effects].

Latitude run by noon sights when possible. Watches set on both GMT and local ship time giving approx. longitude by calculation.

Sleeping arrangements: Front buoyancy blister. Army green slug sleeping bag on foam, plus blanket – when dry!!

Cooking facilities: Single burner gimbaled gaz stove in rear blister, mounted and fixed. Minimal use; hot drinks, reheating precooked rations. [ Rice etc boiled in seawater.]

Photographic equipment: Olympus OM- 1. Olympus OM-2 SLR’s. Range of lenses + g-clamp for delayed action shots.

Washing and hygiene: Courtesy of Atlantic Ocean + salt water soap and shampoo!
 

Los Cristianos as viewed from Hulu, by Day and by Night
Rowed ashore in small Dinghy loaned by kind local resident.

             INSIDE FRONT BLISTER                                                                     

REAR BLISTER 

Showing Chronometer, Barometer, RDF and Locata Radar Warning Device. Chart Table on left, folded up.This was also the sleeping area. Just stretch out. Head at hatch end, in case quick exit required; approaching ships etc.

Showing gimballed stove, equipment, fibreglass sink (on left) cameras, stowage, and RORC Flare Kit. Each buoyancy blister had secure hatches which were always kept firmly shut whilst at sea, unless conditions were exceptional. ie flat calm warm nights in order to permit fresh cool air inside.
 

Taken during the period spent doing sea trials. Exiting the front blister.

Note sliding seat and runners, radio mast (To the left of picture) and orange spray dodger (Also acts as sun protection),
oarlocks and spare oars on the right hand side

Departure.
From beach at Los Cristianos, 10.00am January 30th 1984. Farewell group of well wishers to see me off. Signed name and date in sand [recorded on video], swam to boat at anchor in bay, and rowed out into the Atlantic, followed by TV crew for 2 hrs. Weather forecast from airport stated force 8 North Easterlies, seas expected to be very rough. Ideal for heading South West avoiding La Gomera.
First few days, choppy seas and typical Atlantic swell in aftermath of gales. Mount Teidi still in view and snow capped; still insight of land after 5 days!! Sea sickness a problem due to Hulu lying badly a hull when not rowing. Far too much windage on buoyancy blisters... being too high. Also difficult to keep on course. Headed as due south as I was able...under the most nauseas conditions!

All At Sea.

Hulu way out in the Atlantic. Sea anchor ropes and spare oars stowed on right. (My left)

Settled down to life afloat, having recovered from motion sickness. First storm with large waves smashed radio mast, part flooded front blister and contaminated radio with sea water. No further use for VHF.  Deck compartments leaking seawater, resulting in limited battery use thereafter.

This also rendered Autohelm 1000 inactive. All rudder work consequently done manually. Four compartments below water line taking in seawater, contaminating perishable food.  Dagger board

jammed in lowered position, but at least producing some stability. Wind generator bearings disintegrated already. Now getting to know Hulu!!  Extremely seaworthy, but a bitch to handle, and many minor defects. Withstands a bashing which is the main blessing...and seems unwilling to roll over. [Thank God].

First Dawn photograph able to take after recovering from sea sickness, and effects of the early gales

Routine aboard

Bearing  approx.285 degrees on the compass
Planned on rowing  8-10 hrs in 24, depending on conditions, with break every two hours for refreshments, drink etc. Sea temp. quite cold at these latitudes, 25 Celsius at 27 N [well below human core temp.] plus wind chill factor.

Good star observations by night, also abundance of bioluminescence in plankton, creating a sparkling string of pearls and diamonds on each oar as feathered...joy to watch. Brilliant flashes of light from fish below surface added favourably to detach me from the monotony of a galley slave existence!
 

Day 19

First real fix. 26 N 24 W. Beginning to make some sort of progress, placing me well out into the Atlantic. No turning back, no communication. All decisions have to be mine and mine alone

Westerly Storms and day 40

February 28^th- 29^th [Leap year, and no proposals out here!]  Hit by Westerly depressions lasting until Tues. March 13^th.Lost 200-300 nautical miles. Much time spent lying in blister, reading, sleeping, [at least, trying to]...and swearing. No point in attempting to row in strong head winds and rough seas. Must reserve energy, food gas etc.  By day 40, only 650 miles from Tenerife. Over 2000 left to do. Eventually reached 30 W...first real goal achieved; first chance to dry out clothes and equipment,   and properly assess storm damage....seas have now returned to some form of normality! Must now spend days making up distance lost whilst Hulu drifted back towards Africa

Day 47
officially put me in the tropics and through the 31st Meridian.
Fix with Moon [lower limb] Capella and Sirius. Calm conditions enabling me to bring stars to the horizon with relative ease for once. Determined position as 22 30’N 31 04’W. Getting warmer, allowing more night rowing. Regularly accompanied by Dorado, schools of Dolphin [occasions], flying fish [now much larger in warmer waters] and numerous small brightly coloured companions darting this way and that, beneath the hull.

Flying fish which had the misfortune to land on the boat.
They often glided well above me, having been driven to the air (Their only means of escape in the open ocean) by predatory Dorados and Dolphin.

Thoughtful moments at sea were many...this one no exception.
Drinking from mug in right hand.

Portuguese man-of -war Often seen drifting past with fish ensnared in the tendrils which contain thousands of stingingcells.Had to be careful before returning it to the seas.

Storm Petrels often accompanying me for long periods, skimming the wave tops, and frequently resting on the water.
 

Portuguese men-of-war drift past effortlessly, their tendrils ensnaring careless prey.


Phosphorescence also abundant creating sub-marine firework displays. Life more pleasant at last...but will it last?

Army biscuits and jam......
AGAIN!