Five years ago Dublin sailor Rob Dowling completed a marathon 24-hour sail, sponsored by his local club.
Spurred on by its success, Rob then sailed 800 kilometres solo, in a customised plastic bath tub down the Amazon River. Last year he completed a three day 114-mile raft race, again down the Amazon in Peru.
This weekend, just a few days short of his 51st birthday, he will attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records when he completes a 48-hour non-stop solo sail in his GP14 dinghy in Irish waters.
Rob helps to raise funds for sick children and feels his epic sails are a good way to do this and to promote the wonderful sport of sailing.
His hope is that this attempt will indeed turn into an annual 48 Hour Challenge, in which the toughest and boldest amongst the Irish and UK club sailors will participate. It will also be an opportunity to join in a different form of sailing. In September Rob is planning to head back to the rainforest in Peru and complete yet another marathon raft race – becoming the first man to do so twice.
This trip will be three months long, in which time the sailor will set up a project for the sick children of the Amazon River. It will be called Cotar Children.
After his first marathon bath tub sail, Rob returned to the Amazon to look for the missing bath tub he used in the first project. He came across a very sickly child named Jazmin and his life changed forever.
His dinghy attempt this weekend is to raise funds for her and children like her, living in the Amazon Rainforest. These funds will be used to help set up Cotar.
In a month’s time, the new Cotar website will be up and running. Here Rob will post stories of his life as he moves up and down the Amazon River working with these children.
To date, the Irishman has spent a small fortune setting up this important project, now he needs help to continue. And what better way to raise funds than to do what he loves most – sailing.
With predicted winds of 18 knots, this keen sailor has his work cut out for him. The attempt is being supported by his own club, Swords Sailing Club and by Fingal Sailing School, ' both champions' according to Rob.
Follow Rob’s Irish marathon sail, record attempt and adventures on his website www.amazonquest.net
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