Latest news with #LachlanMaclean
ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
Three Scottish brothers near halfway in world record rowing attempt
Three Scottish brothers rowing across the Pacific Ocean have almost reached the halfway point in their 14,000-kilometre journey. They are aiming to break a world record by becoming the first trio to complete the trip, non-stop and unsupported, from Lima, the capital of Peru, to Sydney within 120 days. An ambitious goal amid broken gear, blistered hands, and extreme isolation onboard their custom-built $100,000 vessel. "The first five weeks were really, really tough," Lachlan Maclean told ABC News. "I think if we knew those first five weeks were gonna [sic] be like that, we maybe wouldn't have done it, to be honest," he laughed. It has been nearly 60 days since they set off and the challenges are ongoing. "We've had an ongoing problem with our primary water tank. It's not just been that though, it's been a bunch of other things. Autohelm [a type of self-steering system] was packing in. We had power issues from the solar panels. Been a myriad of technical issues," Ewan Maclean said. "Fortunately, Ewan's an engineer," Lachlan added. With no engine, sail, or support crew, the brothers are surviving on 500 kilograms of freeze-dried home-cooked meals, prepared by Jamie, including 75 kilograms of oats and a menu of high-calorie comfort meals. "The one sad realisation we had the other day is that we've kind of only got home-cooked food for maybe 80 to 100 days. And then we'll be relying on the store-bought stuff that we have as backup," Jamie said. "We've got a finite amount of gas, so we're probably going to be eating them cold as well," Lachlan said. "The last few weeks are going to be brutal." But despite the discomfort, morale and their sense of adventure remain afloat. "We've caught a couple [of] fish. We caught a wahoo yesterday, which we've been enjoying — we had so much meat off it," Ewan said. "Shooting stars every night. You'll see a dozen at least. We've had some kind of meteorites, especially earlier on in the crossing with a lot of bioluminescence," Lachlan said. "It's like the oars became lightsabres and you could see these little explosions of bioluminescence behind the boat. It's a really magical moment." With no toilet on board, the brothers have been using a bucket. They lost the spare backup in the first week. "Come to think of it, it's probably the only moment in the day that you actually get a little bit of a rest, because there's no other seats like that," Jamie said. "There's no other seat — you're either sitting on a rowing seat or you're standing, bouncing about the place." At the time of this interview, the brothers were approaching the Marquesas Islands, which are in the South Pacific Ocean, and are part of French Polynesia. "I think after the Marquesas we're expecting that we might get slightly stronger wind, maybe some slightly bigger conditions, which to be honest we're actually quite excited [about]," Lachlan said. "As long as it's going with us, we're excited about it because the boat is basically a large surfboard." Approaching rougher waters, Ewan was quick to outline the need for diligence. "Over the next coming weeks and as we get into Australia … this is where it could all go wrong," Ewan said. Overall, physically, the brothers say they feel really good. "We're all probably getting about four to five hours of sleep, but it's broken into two halves. So, you sleep for a bit, then you get up and row, and then you sleep a bit more, and then you row again. And then you're into the day shifts," Lachlan said. Ewan, Lachlan and Jamie are hoping to raise $2 million for clean drinking water projects in Madagascar. They've raised just over $180,000 so far. "We're actually really happy for where we are in the crossing. We're hoping that a lot of the fundraising will take place in the last, kind of, 10 per cent of the trip," Lachlan said. The brothers are aiming to arrive in Sydney Harbour in early August — if all goes to plan.
STV News
23-05-2025
- STV News
Brothers say morale high despite ‘achingly hard' conditions on Pacific row
Three Scottish brothers aiming to become the fastest people to row across the Pacific have said morale remains high despite 'achingly hard' conditions, as they complete the first third of their record bid. Ewan, Jamie, and Lachlan Maclean, from Edinburgh, are 40 days and some 2,700 nautical miles into their bid to row the 9,000 miles from Lima, Peru, to Sydney, Australia, without an engine, sail or support crew. The trio expect to be on the water for a further 70-80 days, rowing shifts around the clock in their specially-designed 28ft carbon fibre boat, which is named Rose Emily in honour of their late sister, who was lost during pregnancy. As well as battling 30ft waves and blistering temperatures, the brothers are regularly having to suppress thoughts of sharks as they dive into the water to clean the boat's hull, in order to maximise their chances of setting a record time. They are fuelling their journey with a diet of rehydrated meals, desalinated water, and the occasional square of chocolate 'saved for emergencies'. The siblings celebrated reaching the 35-day mark with a special supper of freshly-caught mahi-mahi marinated in lime and soy sauce, with Ewan saying they had 'officially reached the middle of nowhere'. The former Dyson engineer, who has spent much of the journey trying to repair a broken auto helm, went on: 'It's been a grind to get here – this row has been much tougher than any of us anticipated. 'If the auto helm issues don't sort themselves, we might be out here for another 150 days.' He said the brothers knew the row would be 'monotonous', having already completed a record-breaking Atlantic crossing in 2020, but that stretches of the current journey have felt like a 'never-ending purgatory'. Ewan said: 'That being said, we're incredibly lucky to be doing this, just so fortunate to have this incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 'It's type two fun, but that's still fun. 'The messages we've received from home have kept us going through our hardest points and morale is very high right now. We're doing it.' PA Media Lachlan Maclean said the journey has so far been 'brutal, brilliant, and bizarre in equal measure' (Maclean brothers/PA). Lachlan, who is due to celebrate his birthday on June 9, said despite the trio being 'not great' at being uncomfortable, they were 'naive enough to start and stubborn enough to finish'. He said: 'We've had dolphins surfing off the bow, whales breaching metres from the boat, and waves soaking everything just as we get dry. 'It's brutal, brilliant, and bizarre in equal measure. Sometimes the lows are unavoidable, but they always pass. Looking for the positives goes a long way out here. 'Would I get off the boat tomorrow if I could? Genuinely, I don't think I would. 'Even though it's been achingly hard, we're drawn to what lies in the uncharted waters beyond 35 days at sea.' The brothers have distracted themselves from discomforts including salt sores, mental fog and rowing blisters with music sessions and tending to a miniature lettuce garden planted in a Tupperware box. Jamie said it is the 'little things' that keep them going. 'At times it's tough. Same weather. Same food. Same crap rowing. Same crap company. Terrible sleep,' he said. 'Then do it again. And again. And again, I've found solace inside my Tupperware box. I've always enjoyed the process of planting things. 'Time will tell if we see any life from this odd-looking lunch box, but it's been a welcome distraction to the afternoon slump. 'Fishing has been another highlight and I daydream of tuna steaks and a crisp, fresh side salad.' The Rare Whisky 101 Pacific Row aims to raise more than £1m for The Maclean Foundation, a clean water charity the brothers launched with their father Charles following their 2020 record journey. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Independent
13-04-2025
- The Independent
Brothers aiming to break Pacific rowing record depart with haggis for dinner
Three brothers aiming to become the fastest people to row across the Pacific Ocean have departed on a 9,000-mile adventure, and their luggage includes haggis, neeps and tatties. Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean departed Lima, Peru, on a 14,000km, non-stop and unsupported row across the Pacific, expecting to arrive in Sydney, Australia, on August 2. Their boat was cheered on by hundreds of supporters and the Peruvian Navy brass band, while middle sibling Jamie played the bagpipes. The siblings from Edinburgh became the fastest and youngest trio to row the Atlantic Ocean in 2020, raising more than £200,000 for charity, and this expedition is considered one of the most remote and physically demanding open-water rows ever attempted. Custom-built carbon fibre vessel Rose Emily was launched from Yacht Club Peruano on Saturday evening with the brothers rowing in two-hour shifts, with no resupplies or safety boat on the 280kg boat, to raise £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar. The departure was delayed more than a month by customs issues holding their boat and 500kg of food in port, including 75kg of oats and a menu of high-calorie comfort meals, for around 120 days at sea. The Rare Whisky 101 Pacific Row aims to raise more than £1 million for The Maclean Foundation — the clean water charity the brothers founded with their father, whisky writer Charles Maclean MBE. The siblings prepared for the expedition by moving to a croft in Nedd in the Highlands to train on the Minch, a strait which separates the mainland from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Lachlan Maclean, 26, said: 'I can't believe the buzz of leaving that atmosphere. I've never heard bagpipes alongside a brass band before, but I think it could catch on. 'We've been like coiled springs this past month. Being stuck with our boat and food held in customs could have been incredibly stressful but the team at Yacht Club Peruano gave us a place to sleep, store our gear and stay sane. Now we're just excited to be on the water. 'It's definitely daunting, but we've prepared so long that we're desperate to get going. In many ways we're a bit weird – I'm probably happier on the water. I've never been good at replying to emails, and now I have the best excuse in the world.' The brothers packed a meal of haggis, neeps and tatties, to celebrate Lachlan's birthday in June. Ewan Maclean, 33, a former Dyson engineer, said: 'We usually forget things when we're going away for the weekend, so preparing for 120 days at sea has not been without its challenges. But here we are, and we're so happy to be on the water. 'During our last row, we started thinking about how we could spend more time at sea and help more people, and this challenge was born. The more we looked into rowing the Pacific, the more we realised why so few attempt it – you have to bring an awful lot of food to sustain yourselves for that period of time, which gets pretty heavy. And it's an awful long time. 'But if we want to raise £1 million we had to go for something big. During our visits to Madagascar, we've seen what access to clean water can do — it helps kids get an education, helps entire communities thrive. That's what drives us.' Their attempt is dedicated to their unborn sister, Rose Emily, and their mother Sheila hand-painted the name on the boat. Jamie Maclean, 31, added: 'We know this will be hard for mum and dad, having all three of us isolated at sea. But they've been incredibly supportive. They've worked just as hard as we have to prepare and we can't wait to see them when we row into Sydney Harbour.' The brothers trained for the voyage with elite sport performance consultant Chloe Lanthier, a performance physiologist for Nasa and professional athletes including Rafael Nadal and Paris Saint-Germain. Their route from Lima to Sydney spans roughly 9,000 miles, depending on conditions and the brothers aim to arrive before the British and Irish Lions' third test in Sydney on August 2.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Yahoo
Brothers aiming to break Pacific rowing record depart with haggis for dinner
Three brothers aiming to become the fastest people to row across the Pacific Ocean have departed on a 9,000-mile adventure, and their luggage includes haggis, neeps and tatties. Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean departed Lima, Peru, on a 14,000km, non-stop and unsupported row across the Pacific, expecting to arrive in Sydney, Australia, on August 2. Their boat was cheered on by hundreds of supporters and the Peruvian Navy brass band, while middle sibling Jamie played the bagpipes. The siblings from Edinburgh became the fastest and youngest trio to row the Atlantic Ocean in 2020, raising more than £200,000 for charity, and this expedition is considered one of the most remote and physically demanding open-water rows ever attempted. Custom-built carbon fibre vessel Rose Emily was launched from Yacht Club Peruano on Saturday evening with the brothers rowing in two-hour shifts, with no resupplies or safety boat on the 280kg boat, to raise £1 million for clean water projects in Madagascar. The departure was delayed more than a month by customs issues holding their boat and 500kg of food in port, including 75kg of oats and a menu of high-calorie comfort meals, for around 120 days at sea. The Rare Whisky 101 Pacific Row aims to raise more than £1 million for The Maclean Foundation — the clean water charity the brothers founded with their father, whisky writer Charles Maclean MBE. The siblings prepared for the expedition by moving to a croft in Nedd in the Highlands to train on the Minch, a strait which separates the mainland from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. Lachlan Maclean, 26, said: 'I can't believe the buzz of leaving that atmosphere. I've never heard bagpipes alongside a brass band before, but I think it could catch on. 'We've been like coiled springs this past month. Being stuck with our boat and food held in customs could have been incredibly stressful but the team at Yacht Club Peruano gave us a place to sleep, store our gear and stay sane. Now we're just excited to be on the water. 'It's definitely daunting, but we've prepared so long that we're desperate to get going. In many ways we're a bit weird – I'm probably happier on the water. I've never been good at replying to emails, and now I have the best excuse in the world.' The brothers packed a meal of haggis, neeps and tatties, to celebrate Lachlan's birthday in June. Ewan Maclean, 33, a former Dyson engineer, said: 'We usually forget things when we're going away for the weekend, so preparing for 120 days at sea has not been without its challenges. But here we are, and we're so happy to be on the water. 'During our last row, we started thinking about how we could spend more time at sea and help more people, and this challenge was born. The more we looked into rowing the Pacific, the more we realised why so few attempt it – you have to bring an awful lot of food to sustain yourselves for that period of time, which gets pretty heavy. And it's an awful long time. 'But if we want to raise £1 million we had to go for something big. During our visits to Madagascar, we've seen what access to clean water can do — it helps kids get an education, helps entire communities thrive. That's what drives us.' Their attempt is dedicated to their unborn sister, Rose Emily, and their mother Sheila hand-painted the name on the boat. Jamie Maclean, 31, added: 'We know this will be hard for mum and dad, having all three of us isolated at sea. But they've been incredibly supportive. They've worked just as hard as we have to prepare and we can't wait to see them when we row into Sydney Harbour.' The brothers trained for the voyage with elite sport performance consultant Chloe Lanthier, a performance physiologist for Nasa and professional athletes including Rafael Nadal and Paris Saint-Germain. Their route from Lima to Sydney spans roughly 9,000 miles, depending on conditions and the brothers aim to arrive before the British and Irish Lions' third test in Sydney on August 2.
