The Grandads of the Atlantic are now a month in to their World Record Attempt to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic.

Neil and Peter have been battling some strong winds, meaning their original course has altered slightly, but they are going strong and continue to push forward with a positive outlook.

Over Christmas, they lost both autohelms on the boat. An autohelm is a device that attaches to the rudder and steers the boat on a specific compass bearing. Originally designed for yachts, the motion of ocean rowing does not suit autohelms and they have to be swapped every few hours to prevent them burning out; hence why the Grandads had two.

Without the use of the autohelms, the Grandads have opted to hand steer. Although this means they lose the flexibility of ‘riding the waves’, it does mean they are able to push on and continue having one row whilst the other rests.

They are reporting some aches and pains setting in but are both currently well and reasonably blister free, which is great news.

We are avidly watching their progress and pleased to report they are currently ranking 4th overall in pairs. They still have 1,586 NM to go though, so this could all change before the finish line. You can track them by downloading the YB Races app and adding the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge 2018 to your races.

Remember, the Grandads are putting themselves through this punishing task to raise money for three worthy charities – RBLI, Dreams Come True and Support Our Paras. To sponsor them, click here to visit their fundraising page.