Fedor Konyukhov crossed the Pacific Ocean. Russian traveler Fedor Konyukhov crossed the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat

On Saturday, the rowboat "Turgoyak" touched the coast of Eastern Australia. Thus ended the next journey of Fedor, who single-handedly crossed the largest ocean on the planet - the Pacific - on oars. It took him 160 days to make his way from continent to continent, without a single stop in the port and without any outside help, according to official website traveler.

Konyukhov covered more than 17 thousand km ahead of schedule in 180-200 days and set a new world record in time. According to International Society ocean rowers, the previous record for crossing the Pacific Ocean in a single rowboat in its southern half was 273 days. This result was shown by 52-year-old Englishman Jim Shekdar, who started from the Peruvian port of Ilo on June 29, 2000 and finished on March 30, 2001 on the Australian island of North Stradbrook.

Konyukhov started from the port of Concon in Chile on December 22, 2013 and finished in Mululaba, Queensland. From time to time, on his Facebook page, in his usual dry manner, he reported on the progress of his perilous journey.

“There is a lot of wind, 20-25 knots, but it is favorable, I am going along the course. About two hundred miles to the west of me there is a serious storm, and I have a big wave. Raises the boat like on a swing. The ocean is harsh, but you can live, ”- wrote He. His "Turgoyak" is a rowboat 9 meters long and 1.8 meters wide.

“The main difficulty of this kind of test is its monotony. Every day I tried to row for 18 hours, slept for 20-25 minutes, but no more than two and a half hours a day. I walked with God's help: all the biggest hurricanes passed me, the boat never capsized, I was helped by fair currents, ”the traveler shared his impressions of the journey, stepping ashore.

“I have been traveling for over 40 years. I used to do this mainly for scientific purposes and for sports, but now I'm thinking about the younger generation, in which I want to instill the spirit of romance. I want people to dream more, ”he answered the question of one of the journalists, which pushes him to new achievements.

Fedor Konyukhov made more than 40 unique expeditions and ascents, including four round-the-world voyages, crossed the Atlantic fifteen times and was the first in the world to reach the five poles of our planet: the North Geographic, the South Geographic, the Pole of Relative Inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, Everest (poles of height ) and Cape Horn (yachtsmen's pole). In 2002, Konyukhov crossed the Atlantic in 46 days on the Uralaz single row boat.

“For 40 years I have been traveling like Moses in the desert. Little time left to pray...

As a mature person, I realized that there is no loneliness in the world. After all, whales or dolphins swim in the ocean next to you, birds soar in the sky, and bears and seals meet on the way to the pole.

And I also know for sure that God and the saints to whom you pray are always present. In the vast ocean, apart from them, no one can help you, ”he once said in an interview. The craving for adventure and conquering new heights is combined in him with religiosity. Konyukhov is a priest.

His next goal is to fly around Earth on hot-air balloon. According to Konyukhov, this will be a non-stop flight with a start and finish in Australia, the traveler plans to fly from west to east along the 40th latitude.

In December 2013, it started, and at the end of May 2014. the next expedition of the traveler-explorer Fyodor Konyukhov ended. On the rowing boat "K9 Turgoyak", alone, he set off to conquer the largest ocean in the world, which he eventually managed to do. The 62-year-old sailor crossed Pacific Ocean from South America to Australia (over 9,000 miles, 17,000 km) offline, without visiting any islands, in 160 days. He became the first person to row the Pacific "from continent to continent" in record time. In accordance with the assignment of the SGA, a permanent partner of Fedor Konyukhov on expedition projects, experiments were carried out on the route to study the psychophysical capabilities of a person and train neuroplasticity in extreme conditions.
The expedition is supported by the Russian Geographical Society. The information sponsor of the project is the TV channel "First Educational

09/25/2013

Fedor Konyukhov, a traveler-explorer, recently returned from Southampton (England), where a 9-meter rowing boat of an original design was presented at the international exhibition Boat Show. Built on a special project, this boat is designed for long active stays in extreme ocean environments in typical conditions of the world's greatest ocean - the Pacific. It does not look like a traditional boat or yawl that is familiar to us. Most likely, its distant prototype is a kayak, but not with one, but with two oars inserted into the oarlocks. With two swollen pressurized compartments, at the bow and at the stern, something like tiny cabins, this boat is theoretically unsinkable. In the event of a coup, thanks to the float cabins, it must independently return to its normal position. Without much exaggeration, it can perhaps be compared with spaceship, and the entire expedition - with a flight into space. The goal is to cross the vast ocean on oars in a completely autonomous mode, akin to flying to Mars. And it is not clear who will find it easier - a cosmonaut in a distant orbit or Fedor in a boundless ocean.

The previous, 11-year-old boat crossing of the Atlantic Ocean brought Fedor not only the glory of a record holder - no one, until this year, had crossed the Atlantic Ocean by oar faster than him - but also inner confidence in the possibility of more for himself. Despite the fact that he always understood and now understands that all, not so numerous attempts of daredevils to conquer the Pacific Ocean in this way ended in vain, sometimes tragically. Fedor's trump cards are experience, knowledge of the Ocean, an exceptional ability to survive in incredible conditions and emergency situations, concentration and determination.

That is why he developed the terms of reference for the boat himself, and the construction, based on the latest technologies, entrusted to recognized masters and experienced shipbuilders from England. There is nothing superfluous on it, a Spartan lifestyle awaits the rower. Oars, navigation devices, a satellite phone, a computer, video cameras, a portable salt water maker, a supply of freeze-dried products for six months, a fishing rod, a shark lance - that's all his household.

After demonstrating the boat at the exhibition - the only exhibit from Russia - it was again transported to the shipyard for final fine-tuning and installation of equipment. On board it is placed the logo of the television company SGU TV (TV channel "First Educational") - information partner project.

October 17, 2013

The preparatory stage of Fyodor Konyukhov's expedition project "By boat across the Pacific Ocean" has been completed. At Mike Wood's shipyard in the village of Benham-on-Croach, a hundred kilometers from London, construction and installation work on the original boat of the K9 formula ("Konyukhov - 9 m") has been completed. Now it will be loaded into a container and sent by ship to the launch site - in the South American city of Valparaiso (Chile) on the east coast of the Pacific Ocean.

The main contractor for the implementation of Fedor Konyukhov's design concept is the energetic Charlie Pitcher. Charlie is the record holder among rowers for crossing the Atlantic by oars, having improved Konyukhov's record result (46 days) at the beginning of this year by a week and a half, shown by him earlier on the Uralaz boat. At the same time, he is an experienced shipbuilder who has built more than one boat for ocean extreme sports using the latest technologies. That is why Fedor entrusted him with the creation of the rowing car of his dreams. The nine-meter carbon fiber K9 with Kevlar bottom protection weighs only 250 kg and can withstand not only the impact of ocean waves, but also a collision with reefs. The carrying capacity of the boat is 1 ton: these are products, equipment, equipment, and the weight of the rower himself. Despite its impressive size and only one pair of working oars (it has neither a sail nor an engine for fundamental reasons), the boat can reach speeds of several knots, that is, move at the speed of a bicycle. The number of strokes that the Russian navigator must make on the route is expressed in seven figures.

“According to our calculations, the boat must travel at least thirty miles a day,” says Fedor Konyukhov, “that is, you need to do 50 km to meet the scheduled deadline ... Every day you will need to work on oars for 11 hours.”

At the end of November, Fedor will go to Valparaiso to meet the container. The start is scheduled for the first ten days of December, at which time summer comes in the Southern Hemisphere.

11/07/2013

On November 5 in Chelyabinsk, and on November 6 in neighboring Miass, press conferences were held by Fedor Konyukhov and his Ural partners on the project “On a rowboat across the Pacific Ocean”, at which the press and the public were informed about the results of the preparatory stage of the new expedition.

Not far from Miass, on Lake Turgoyak, the legendary Uralaz boat is stored - the prototype of the new K-9, on which the explorer intends to cross the Pacific Ocean. During his short visit to the popular recreation center "Golden Beach", business card Turgoyak, Fedor met with the guys from the “School of Travelers” he created here, where he held a master class with future pathfinders and sailors. Especially for this meeting, young travelers composed and performed a song dedicated to the famous Russian with a guitar.

19 .11.2013

Both the project itself and all its participants moved to the territory of Chile.

Ferdinand Magellan turned out to be the first person who managed to cross the Pacific Ocean on a fragile boat. He was not a Chilean, but on the shore of a distant strait named after him, in the Chilean city of Punta Arenas, there is a monument to this brave sailor.

More than one century has passed, and now the Ocean is facing a new challenge. And again, not a Chilean, but from the Chilean shores. It is symbolic that the Russian Fyodor Konyukhov decided to start the program of training and preparation for the start on a rowboat across the Pacific Ocean from the region of Tierra del Fuego, once discovered by Magellan.

November 20, 2013

A team of project participants led by Fedor Konyukhov, who covered a distance of 15,000 km in two days - similar to what an ocean boat has to go - and did not forget to bow to the legendary Magellan in Punta Arenas, jumped on a tiny "Twinwater" through the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego and landed in the southernmost town of the Earth - Puerto Williams. There is a Chilean military base here. There is nowhere else to fly - if only to Antarctica. From here to the southern tip of America, the famous Cape Horn, one and a half hundred kilometers.

It is to this cape that Fedor, who has begun training, intends to go on a yacht in the coming days to once again test himself and gain spiritual energy from the Orthodox cross with the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which he installed there, at the junction of the oceans, three years ago. In the upcoming rowing ultra-marathon, not so much the physical condition of the rower is important, but the strength of the spirit, strong-willed attitude. A week's trek around Cape Horn might help. The yacht will be provided by a local skipper.

Interesting and useful is the experience of the Yagan Indians, who lived from time immemorial on the islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago and sailed through the ocean straits and fjords in rowing boats made of thick juniper bark. In the town of Lakutaya, which means "The Bay of the Black Bird", Fyodor got acquainted with the subjects of maritime activities and the life of the yagan.

Despite the coming summer and blooming daisies and dandelions, following the sun several times a day, snow falls from the sky, a cold Antarctic wind blows, the mountains hide in clouds. Let's hope that the changeable weather will not disturb the plans of Fedor and his comrades - very soon it will be necessary to meet the K9 boat in the port of Valparaiso.

November 27, 2013

If in the old days the Yaghan Indians, sea nomads and the southernmost tribe of the planet walked between the islands of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago on fragile wooden boats, now the local population and visiting guests who want to paddle are at the service of quite modern and comfortable plastic kayaks and canoes. This circumstance did not fail to take advantage of Fedor Konyukhov, who appreciated the merits of different models of training boats.

And on the 21st, the Pelagic Australus yacht with a dozen people on board, including Fedor, set off from the Beagle Channel to the very tip of the South American continent - Cape Horn on the island of the same name. The transition took several days. As a result, it was possible not only to bypass the treacherous cape from the west, but also go ashore, visit the stela with a symbolic albatross, climb the lighthouse, and also install an Orthodox cross with the icon of St. Nicholas in the small chapel there. The icon of the patron saint of travelers and seafarers, Nicholas the Wonderworker Mysgornovsky with a sailing yacht in his hand, was painted by Fr. Fedor.

Before we had time to reverse course, the weather began to deteriorate, a strong wind blew. However, the main thing was done, and this was taken by everyone as a good sign.
On November 26, Fedor Konyukhov said goodbye to the hospitable Puerto Williams and went to Valparaiso to meet his long-awaited boat.

12/01/2013

During the long transport from England to Chile, the boat received minor damage. It took almost a week to eliminate them in the yacht club of the town of Concon near Valparaiso. Immediately, the bottom was painted in several layers - to prevent the active growth of mollusks on its surface, which increases water resistance and, accordingly, slows down the boat.

On December 1, the first launch of the boat took place. In a bay overlooking the ocean, on a sunny, moderately windy day, Fedor Konyukhov and technical manager, renowned ocean rower Simon Chalk, dipped their oars into the waters of the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

It took several hours to check the stability of the boat, its driving characteristics, the calibration of the compass and electronic navigation equipment. The tests were successful, the original design of the boat did not deceive the expectations of its creators. A speed of more than 3 knots was reached - approximately 6 km / h. But it became clear how difficult it would be to fight alone through the headwinds, waves and currents that are characteristic of this area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe coastal waters of Chile.

The next task, in addition to loading products, equipment, additional installation and debugging of equipment, is to study the direction of local currents and the wind rose to select the optimal start time. While the wind blows more from the ocean, and the reefs standing at the entrance to the bay create powerful circulating underwater currents, which are better not to fall into.

The day before, a meeting of Chilean yacht captains with Fyodor Konyukhov took place in the cabin-campaign of the yacht club. The meeting was lively and interested, the Russian navigator surprised everyone with his large-scale plans and track record. During the presentation, a film about the dog sledding expedition from the Arktika-2013 documentary series on the First Educational TV channel was shown.

And a day earlier, here, in the yacht club, Fedor met with the President of Chile, to whom the traveler-explorer showed his boat, spoke about the impending transoceanic passage and invited him to the start. One of the principal tasks that we managed to solve with the assistance of representatives of the Russian diplomatic corps was obtaining permission from the military authorities to launch the boat from the Chilean coast. Weather permitting, the start will take place on December 12 from the marina of the Concon Yacht Club.

12/07/2013

The project of Fyodor Konyukhov in Chile is showing unusually lively interest. Near the boat in the yacht club people are constantly crowded - yachtsmen, journalists, television people. A video report about Fedor and the upcoming transition was shown on the central Chilean channel "13", other channels, materials about the Russian traveler are published on the front pages of the local newspapers.

In Santiago, in our embassy, ​​Fedor met with the Russian Ambassador to Chile, Mikhail Orlovets. We agreed to prepare a photo exhibition based on the materials of the project for its placement in the Russian Cultural Center, as well as wide screening the Chilean public of films about the traveler-explorer Fyodor Konyukhov.

A memorable evening was held at the Rossotrudnichestvo Cultural Center, where representatives of the Russian diaspora and local residents gathered. Fedor Konyukhov introduced the members of his team, shared his plans and answered numerous questions. Then he donated an icon of the Mother of God to the Russian community for installation in the chapel at the Russian Cultural Center, the consecration of which was to take place the next day. No one here expected such a gift, and it was perceived as God's providence.

Meanwhile, in Concon, daily hard work is underway to prepare the boat for the launch. The yacht club is protected from direct ocean waves by a stone pier, but as soon as you go beyond it, you begin to feel the breath of the ocean. From here to the Australian Brisbane - 7,500 nautical miles, or about 14,000 km. Fedor is preparing for the first step - the first miles will be especially difficult, as you will need to break away from the coast and pass the reefs at the entrance to the bay. Every day he sits down at the oars and makes his way through the waters of the bay to the turning cape and back. The rower and the boat are gradually adjusting, getting used to each other - without harmony and mutual understanding it is impossible to go to the ocean. Local fishermen and pelicans watch with surprise the unusual boat slowly passing by the lighthouse before their eyes.

12/12/2013

After carefully analyzing the weather forecasts, Fedor Konyukhov decided to start on December 14th. By this day, the excitement caused by the cyclone raging in the ocean on the proposed path of the boat should subside somewhat. Further, within a few days, the weather is expected to improve, which should contribute to the separation of the rower from the treacherous coast with powerful currents and numerous reefs.

Throughout this day, the Russian sailor received congratulations on his birthday. On December 12, he turned 62 - an unusual age for travelers embarking on expeditionary projects like this one. Friends, captains from the yacht club, Russians living in Chile, and ordinary Chileans congratulated - everyone here knows about Fedor and his project, thanks to the press and television.

Many calls came from Russia, but, perhaps, the main congratulations were voiced by the Russian Ambassador to Chile, Mikhail Orlovets, who specially came to Concon for this purpose. He read out a letter of greeting to Fyodor Konyukhov from the President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Geographical Society Vladimir Putin. Fedor invited both the ambassador and, through him, the President of the Russian Federation to Australia to meet him upon completion of the transition.

December 14, 2013

The last day before the start passed in the same way as all the previous ones, in business and worries. The operation of navigation and signaling equipment was checked, some products and previously unaccounted for trifles were purchased additionally. Fedor spent almost all the time in a boat, he did not go out into the bay - it was restless there. Toward evening, Chilean customs officers appeared, then - border guards (or rather, border guards), who made the necessary marks in Fedor's documents and passport.

The pier was crowded with people all the time, mostly compatriots. They thanked Fedor for what he is and instills in them a sense of confidence, pride in distant Russia. Congratulations on the past birthday, presented with gifts.

The team spent the evening together with Petr Mikhailovich Karpenko, who had flown in from Moscow, President of SSU TV, an old friend and partner of Fyodor Konyukhov in various projects.

Early in the morning of December 14, when it was just beginning to get light, the Russian traveler-explorer set sail from the floating pier of the hospitable Konkon Yacht Club. Despite the early hour and cloudy weather, there were surprisingly many mourners. The go-ahead for the start at 6 hours 52 minutes was given by the consul who arrived from Santiago Russian Federation. The first careful strokes, the first turn in the alignment of the marina, and now - the way out of the pier. Behind are the lighthouse, the forest of yacht masts, and the anthill of Concon's houses piled on top of each other. Ahead is the ocean hidden in the morning fog, on the surface of which, as a reminder of the recent cyclone, a dead swell of one and a half meters high majestically and evenly goes.

Confident rowing, and soon the signal lights of the boat disappear into a dark blue haze. No escort other than a Chilean Armada (Navy) boat. And only an hour later, as agreed, the yacht and two boats with the project participants, as well as the most stubborn fans, went after the rower to finally wish him good luck on the beam of Valparaiso. Pelicans and seagulls on the coastal cliffs, having been worried, calmed down.

The text of the telegram of the President of the Russian Federation:

« Dear Fedor Filippovich!

I congratulate you on your birthday and the beginning of a new page in your eventful biography - an expedition to the shores of Australia on a rowboat across the Pacific Ocean.

This unique project supported by the Russian Geographical Society, your fellow travelers, well-known researchers, caring and enthusiastic people, has no analogues in history. And, without a doubt, it will attract the attention of the public, specialists, and experts in nautical business.

You have more than once conquered the most difficult, hard-to-reach routes - the water element, mountain peaks, the North and South Poles. I am sure that the current campaign will also be successful and will serve the honor and glory of Russia, a country that has written many bright pages in the chronicle of geographical discoveries.

I wish you good luck and all the best.

Good luck!

On the first day, Fedor rowed all day and all night, without closing his eyes, fighting against the wind and currents. We managed to move 18 miles from the coast to the west, and 8 miles to the north.

December 18, 2013

A boat with a shallow landing is easily vulnerable to side and head winds. In order to somehow resist this, you need to constantly row and use the specially provided front keel rudder and the inserted stern centerboard. Control can be either automatic (autopilot) or manual.

The first day Fedor practically did not sleep, only rowing. Fog and drizzle did not pass, the night turned out to be very cold, only work with oars warmed. There was no time for food - only coffee and hot chocolate from a thermos. A strong current at the mouth of the bay dragged the boat northward,

It was possible to sleep fitfully only on the second day, when the wind changed direction and became more or less favorable. The echo transponder was buzzing all the time - here lies the main route of sea vessels calling at Valparaiso, for which a nine-meter boat is like a chip. Only a locator can be seen when a special AIS device is turned on on it.

Due to the constant dense fog, the solar panels did not function. The main battery, which provided, first of all, the operation of the autopilot and signal lights, sat down on the second day. I had to limit power consumption and switch to backup power in the hope that the sun was about to appear.

The boat made a detour and, gradually moving away from the coast, went in a south-westerly direction. In three days of rowing and maneuvering, about a hundred very difficult miles were covered, and they managed to break away from the mainland by fifty miles. Well, the start time was chosen well - with minimal excitement, in a pause between cyclones, constantly walking along the roaring forties and frantic fifties latitudes.

Communication with the outside world is provided through the Iridium satellite phone provided to Fedor by the Modern Humanitarian Academy. The coordinates are captured and automatically transferred to an interactive map via the Yellowbrick satellite tracking buoy.

All the project participants present at the launch of the boat, except for the main coordinator of the project Oscar Konyukhov, left Konkon and returned from Chile to their homeland.

December 19, 2013

An emergency situation arose on board the boat K9 ("Turgoyak") - the power supply system failed. The main and backup batteries, charged by solar panels, are out of order. Fedor Konyukhov failed to fix the problems on his own.

After telephone consultations with the coastal headquarters and British designers, it was decided to tow the boat, until Fedor had gone far into the ocean, back to Konkon to find out the reasons for the failure and restore the equipment to working capacity.

December 23, 2013

And here's what happened. British designers have installed on the boat the most modern lithium batteries, which have a large capacity and relatively low weight. But these batteries, charged by solar panels, have some specific features compared to traditional, helium batteries - they cannot be completely discharged. When a discharge level of 10% of the nominal capacity is reached, they must be recharged - otherwise, a very powerful impulse will be required to restore, which no on-board power sources can provide.

Fedor started in cloudy weather and walked in fog for three days, fighting the wind, the Humboldt side current and, at the same time, crossing the busy route of ocean-going ships calling at the port of Valparaiso. Moving along a curved trajectory, he was forced to constantly use the autopilot, keep the navigation and radar equipment on, and the marker lights on. The echo transponder was buzzing all the time - huge ships passed by, in the night and fog, for which a 9-meter boat is like a chip.

With an increased level of energy consumption, the main batteries were discharged on the second day, then the backup, but there was still no sun. The voltage control system failed, at some point the battery charge level passed the critical level, and everything went out. It was not possible to restore the operability of the power supply system in any way and, therefore, it became pointless to continue moving. After discussing the situation by satellite phone with the shore headquarters, it was decided to return to Konkon. Fortunately, it has not yet been possible to go far - only fifty miles to the coast (although about 80 have been covered).

A rescue yacht towed the boat to the Concon Yacht Club. All this happened on the day of St. Nicholas the Pleasant - it seems that it was he who prompted the sailor, at the very beginning of the journey, the right way out of the situation.

Analysis of the cause of failures in the power supply system and replacement of equipment took only three days. Instead of exotic batteries, traditional ones were installed. They are heavier, but, according to experts, they are more reliable, and Fedor is familiar.

On the morning of December 22, Fedor Konyukhov again took up the oars and, crossing himself, rushed towards new, endless trials, directing his boat straight to the west. On this day, the Pacific Ocean, as if justifying its name, decided to present a gift to the rower - an almost complete calm was established in Valparaiso Bay.

May 30, 2014

After 159 days of almost continuous rowing, covering a distance of 9350 nautical miles (15560 km) on the Turgoyak rowing boat across the entire Pacific Ocean from Chile to Australia, Fedor Konyukhov reached a point with coordinates 26 gr. S and 153 gr. o.d. Ahead is a sleepless exciting night and the remaining 35 miles (60 km) to the coveted shore, in the sandy bay of Moolulaba, north of Brisbane. It is here, at the latitude of the Chilean Concon, where this record-breaking autonomous transition began, and it must end. The local yacht club, the city authorities, the headquarters of the expeditionary project, the meeting team, media representatives (including the First Educational) have been waiting for the finishing spurt of the rower-navigator for many days, impatiently waiting for it.

The night before, a helicopter took off towards Fedor. Moving among the waves, a white boat was found without much difficulty 72 miles from the coast. Visual contact did not last long, about ten minutes, but there was no end to the joy of those who were in the helicopter and those who were in the boat.

Fedor Konyukhov will spend this night, as usual, on oars in order to enter the 5-mile coastal zone by morning and start storming one of the last obstacles already before dark - the outward flow of the Moolulaby River, which can drag the boat into the zone of reefs and huge waves on the beach shallow water . Strength and good luck, brave conqueror of the oceans!

05/31/14

Immediately after the helicopter left and dusk fell, the wind blew in the right direction. The boat, as if sensing the near land, rushed in the right direction, like a dog sled in the Arctic a year ago, and there was no time for sleep! By eight in the morning the long-awaited shore was ten miles away.

A whole flotilla of yachts, catamarans, kayaks, led by boats from the Australian Coast Guard, came out to meet Fedor on the way. They were joined by the ubiquitous dolphins and even a pair of humpback whales. The boat, floundering in the leapfrog of the waves, confidently moved towards the goal. The bearded captain in a white shirt and a faded skipper habitually worked with oars.

At this time, people gathered on the breakwater, at the entrance to the marina, and on Moolulaba beach - both locals and visitors from Brisbane and Sydney. About 500 people gathered, they were waiting for the "krezi" - Russian, about which everyone last days wrote newspapers and broadcast TV.

At about one o'clock in the afternoon, the keel of Fyodor's boat, to the friendly applause of the audience, poked into the sand of the beach. We were met not only by relatives, friends and project partners, but also by the local mayor, Russian ambassador, an Orthodox priest from Brisbane, numerous representatives of the diaspora, ordinary Australians. The Ambassador read a greeting to Fyodor Konyukhov from V. Putin.

The epic has ended, which is difficult to fit into the framework of conventional ideas about the possible and the impossible. It ended successfully, and even 40 days ahead of schedule. The ocean missed Fedor Konyukhov, and he wrote another page in the history of extreme record achievements of man and all mankind.

In 160 days, the passage across the Pacific Ocean was made on oars, alone and autonomously, with a length of 16,000 km, from Chile to Australia - from continent to continent. Nobody has been able to do this until now!

Fedor Konyukhov goes for a new record. This time the traveler goes on a solo trip around the world in a rowboat. He has to cross the Southern Ocean and go around Cape Horn, but the route had to be divided into three stages. In the Southern Ocean, there is a high probability of meeting icebergs, and in the winter season it will not work at all to pass through it by boat. Therefore, the route is divided based on the season in the southern hemisphere: November 2018 - start from New Zealand (port Dunedin) to Cape Horn (Chile). December 2019 - Chile (Cape Horn) - Australia (Cape Lyuin). December 2020 - Australia - New Zealand. Fedor Konyukhov will go to the start of the first season on November 3 in New Zealand, and the planned launch date is November 15. Fedor Konyukhov and his team spoke about this at a press conference dedicated to the imminent start of a new round-the-world trip.

“I made my first voyage at the age of 15 on a rowboat across the Sea of ​​Azov, then across the Atlantic Ocean in 2002. In 2014, he crossed the Pacific Ocean from east to west, now they made an attempt to pass the southern route from New Zealand through Cape Horn, ”says Fedor Konyukhov, Soviet and Russian traveler, writer, artist.

Fedor Konyukhov and his team spent 17 months preparing. During this expedition, the traveler will overcome 27,000 kilometers. To meet the deadline, Konyukhov needs to walk about 111 kilometers every day and make 24,000 strokes a day, for this you will need to consume 6,000 calories daily, freeze-dried products of the required calorie content have already been developed for Konyukhov. 110 days - the duration of each stage, the first will need to go 9000 kilometers. Throughout the expedition, Fedor Konyukhov will be in a rowing boat, its length is 9 meters. On similar boats, he had already made his travels, for example, to cross the Pacific Ocean. Fedor Konyukhov keeps many of his "transports" and details from his travels in his studio. It is in the workshop that the traveler finds the strength for new records and feats.

“There is no day, no night, no time on the expedition, everything changes there, and you need to be on the oars all the time, because there is a current, there is a wind and there is a distance. The expedition is a very big self-discipline, because I only have summer time. I'm walking along Antarctica. If I get into winter time, then there will be ice, and summer time is icebergs, hurricanes and winds, but there will be no ice. I have to walk 60 miles a day, every day I have to walk 111 kilometers. I also need to complete 24,000 strokes. On average, I have to row 16-17 hours a day, and the rest of the time is spent sleeping, eating, talking on the phone, making sketches. The most difficult thing is that the boat will roll on the waves, and if I get into a hurricane, I have to hold on here. I zip up and lie down as if in a hammock, and when the boat turns over, I lie inside with a helmet on my head. Elbow pads, knee pads, so that I would not be beaten in this centrifuge, like in a washing machine, ”explains Fedor Konyukhov, a Soviet and Russian traveler, writer, artist.

The old versions of Konyukhov's rowing boats are similar to the new one, but not without improvements. The name of the new boat is "Akros", its bow is divided into two watertight compartments, food and equipment will be stored there. There is also a compartment for rest, cabin, galley. In the boat you can not only sit, but also lie down. Millions of people from different parts of the world will follow this round-the-world trip with bated breath.

“I was still a young man, as soon as I found out about his first transitions, I always followed him. We met a couple of years ago quite by accident. I was delighted, and now we communicate very closely. I love him very much as an artist and as a person. He is a very close and dear person to me. I will enjoy, worry about our great traveler, artist, researcher and person who explores a person, ”says Vladimir Mashkov, People's Artist of the Russian Federation.

A journey that everyone will follow, of course, will not do without a new achievement. Konyukhov plans to set a world record - to cross the Southern Ocean and go around Cape Horn in a rowboat - this has never been done before. On this moment the traveler has already set 20 records, he is not going to stop and already has big plans - future records are painted over the years. Fyodor Konyukhov's famous answer to the question: "Why are you doing everything?" “Why sit at home?” - can be supplemented with one more phrase: "I need to return in the month of March, because I will fly into the stratosphere." Like this rich life- even during a big expedition, in between stages Konyukhov sets new records.

https://www.site/2017-06-09/kak_fedor_konyuhov_gotovitsya_k_krugosvetke_na_veselnoy_lodke_i_chto_meshaet_emu_pogruzitsya_v_maria

“I return from expeditions with debts”

How Fedor Konyukhov prepares for a round-the-world rowing boat trip, and what prevents him from diving into the Mariana Trench

The famous traveler Fedor Konyukhov once again came to the Chelyabinsk region to congratulate the winners of the children's sailing regatta named after him. In addition, on Southern Urals the traveler's partners live, who sponsor his sea crossings - businessmen Oleg Sirotin and Sergey Eremenko. And this time they help Konyukhov in the preparation of a new round-the-world expedition. The traveler plans to take a rowing boat along Antarctica and cross one of the most stormy areas in the Cape Horn area.

“I plan to start on November 1, 2018 from Tasmania and return there in 220 days,” says Fedor Konyukhov. “Preparations are already underway. There are drawings of the boat, it will soon be built. You also need to prepare information. Know exactly what currents and winds will be at that moment. How to distribute forces, how much distance you need to walk per day.

According to him, preparations for crossing the Pacific Ocean were similar. Then the famous traveler and his team calculated: in order to have time to swim across the ocean in six months, you need to walk 60 miles a day. To cover such a distance, it was necessary to make 24 thousand swings of oars per day, rowing for 15-18 hours, depending on the wind.

- Therefore, for almost the entire expedition, I did nothing but rowing. I hardly caught fish, because it is a waste of time, and it is not suitable for food. It has almost no calories. I then spent 6000 kilocalories a day. In normal times, a person spends 1500-2000. And, of course, you need to prepare mentally. For me, this fasting and prayer is the most difficult training, Konyukhov continues.

Fyodor Konyukhov, flying in a balloon, dropped a gas cylinder on the FSB training center

In the area of ​​Cape Horn, the traveler plans to meet friends from Chelyabinsk. They will approach him on their yacht to provide moral support during the difficult journey.

“I don’t do it for glory, I don’t even notice it,” says Fedor Konyukhov. — I have goals, I have curiosity, to discover something new.

According to the navigator, he does not lose hope one day to dive into the Mariana Trench, but this is a complex project, so it has been “slipping” for several years now. The first contract for it was concluded back in 1997, but there is still no technology that would allow such a dive, the traveler complains.

- There are 7 billion of us living on earth, and there is only one designer who can develop a capsule for diving. He lives in Australia, it's already old man and doesn't really want to do it. We moved the descent to the Mariana Trench to 2021, but I think that this date will have to be moved to 2023,” Fedor Konyukhov said.

In any case, according to him, the project remains relevant, and if, nevertheless, he does not have to sink to the bottom of the depression himself, then someone else will definitely do it.

“I will prepare everything for this,” the traveler assured.

In Miass, on the basis of the Fedor Konyukhov Center, a children's sailing school will be opened

The ocean is only three percent explored, there is always something new there, he reminds. Curiosity is the main motive of his campaigns. But many projects do take years to prepare. If Konyukhov crossed the Sea of ​​Azov at the age of 15, then the Atlantic - only at 50. All this time, preparations were underway, a lone sailor gained experience and waited for technologies to appear that would allow a boat on oars to overcome such distances.

At the same time, almost all of his expeditions are commercially unprofitable, which Fedor Konyukhov says directly: he does not know what commerce is.

— I had more than 50 expeditions. And I already have a tradition of returning from an expedition with debts,” he shares. - Ask me what I live on? I am retired and I also teach at the university. And then, I'm an artist. My paintings are in demand. It happens that I haven’t completed the painting yet, but they already want to buy it. I have big exhibitions planned in Tretyakov Gallery and in Dubai. I'm also a writer. The recommendation for joining the writers' union was given to me by Viktor Astafiev.

But books don't bring much. And the pension of pensioner Konyukhov is only 6,300 rubles. When he designed it, he was offered to collect all the medals and certificates. But the famous traveler did nothing of this. He says Konyukhov should not beg for something, which is why they appointed the most minimal.

- I have enough. The main thing is that I ride the metro for free, the traveler jokes.

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This 9-meter boat was built according to a special special project and the latest technology. At first glance, the Formula 1 car is just resting compared to what we saw here!

You can climb into it, sit on the seat of Fedor Konyukhov himself and feel like a real traveler.

The boat consists of several sealed compartments.

Through this compartment you first get into the wheelhouse.

Here you can see numerous devices for communication and navigation.

There is also an autopilot that allows you to maintain a given direction in automatic mode, so while rowing you will not go astray under any circumstances, even in a strong storm.

This is a kind of cell of the great traveler, designed specifically for the growth of Fyodor Filippovich. True, I can hardly imagine how one can sleep here during a storm. Being in this bedroom you realize with your own eyes that Fedor Konyukhov is a completely unique person.

Similarly, it seems incredible that he could swim an average of 100 km a day for almost half a year!

Solar panels - in such conditions, without them, nowhere.

Porthole (bedroom window) - at the stern of the boat.

And there are also oars here - the only "engine" on the ship, except for Fedor himself, of course. No sails or motor were found on the boat.

So the prospect of going 17 thousand km on oars seems absolutely unrealistic. But Fedor is the first to do it!

This is how this fantastic boat looks live:

(photo from Fyodor Konyukhov's blog).