Friends preparing to take on 'World's Toughest Row'
Four friends are preparing to spend more than six weeks in an Atlantic rowing race in aid of a mental health charity.
Robert Oliver, 52, Matt Humphries, 44, Thomas Hayward, 31, and Kevin Joynes, 54 - collectively known as DeadLegz - will be taking on the World's Toughest Row, formerly know as the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge.
They are expecting to take about 45 days to make the crossing from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean.
The team, from Redditch, Worcestershire, has previously taken on other fundraising challenges, including the Three Peaks and cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats.
"I personally have never done anything like this before in my life," said Mr Joynes. "I've never even rowed before."
DeadLegz are raising money for the Frank Bruno Foundation, which supports people with mental health issues, as well as Redditch anti-knife crime campaigner Peter Martin's Drop the Knife Project.
"Mental health is the cause of so much grief and pain," explained Mr Humphries.
Mr Oliver added: "I think all of us within the team have been affected. I know personally, I've got an ongoing battle with my mental health."
During the challenge, they will be surviving mostly on dehydrated food and sea water purified by an on-board desalination machine, rowing in shifts with breaks of two hours.
"In that two hours, we've got to fit in boat maintenance, sleeping and eating before we get back on the oars again," said Mr Humphries.
'Like being in a tumble dryer'
Once a week, one of the men will have to enter the water to scrape barnacles off the boat.
"I don't want to spend any more time out there than I have to," said Mr Hayward. "Obviously there are lots of things in the sea, and some of them aren't so pleasant.
"Marlins are quite dangerous, they can actually pierce a hole in your boat."
The team will also have to contend with waves of up to 30ft (9.1m).
"The boat is designed to self-right and we'll be tied onto [it], so if the boat does capsize we'll come back up with the boat," said Mr Oliver.
"But if you're in a cabin trying to sleep, and we get hit and taken out – and it does happen – it'll be like being in a tumble dryer."
The World's Toughest Row begins on 12 December.
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