The Islanders team in the Black Oyster successfully completed a 48-hour sea trial in the North Sea.
Josh Taylor, Alan Morgan, James Plumley and Gavin Sheehan rowed from Mersea Island near Colchester, north towards Felixstowe before heading out into the North Sea.
Alan said: “It went extremely well. Although this was our first time on the boat as a crew, old team habits soon kicked in and things ran like clock work.
“While using a drogue and para-anchor are new to us, we have all grown up on boats- so it wasn’t a hard to come to terms with the new equipment.
“The day before we set off we held a charity night at our local sailing club – Dabchicks Sailing Club – where we raised over one thousand pounds in one night.”
