Andrew Bedwell, 52, was rescued by the Canadian Coast Guard after abandoning his 3ft 11in vessel, Big C V2, during an attempt to break the decades-old world record for the smallest Atlantic crossing. This is his second failed attempt after his first boat sank in 2023.
Andrew Bedwell , a 52-year-old British sailor, has been rescued after his attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean in an extremely small vessel ended prematurely. The boat, named Big C V2 , measured just 3 feet 11 inches in length.
Bedwell's goal was to break the world record for the smallest boat to ever complete an Atlantic crossing, a record that has remained unbroken for over three decades. He departed from St John's, Newfoundland, Canada, on June 4, with the United Kingdom as his destination.
However, the voyage concluded abruptly on June 6 when he issued a mayday call to the Canadian Coast Guard. He was located approximately 120 kilometers east of Grates Cove, Newfoundland. The Coast Guard vessel CCGS Sacred Bay responded and successfully recovered him around 2:15 PM local time, transporting him safely to Old Perlican. Regrettably, his tiny craft had to be abandoned at sea during the rescue operation.
This marks the second consecutive failure for Bedwell in attempting this record. His prior vessel, an earlier version simply called Big C, sank on the very first day of a crossing attempt in 2023, prompting him to design and build a new boat. The current world record for the smallest vessel to cross the Atlantic is held by American Hugo Vihlen, who completed the journey in 1993 aboard a boat named Father's Day, which measured 5 feet 4 inches long.
Bedwell's new boat, Big C V2, was constructed from tougher aluminium, was marginally larger than its predecessor, and had a top speed of about 4.2 miles per hour. Before embarking, Bedwell expressed a mix of excitement and anxiety, acknowledging the immense challenge ahead. He also intended to raise funds for Cancer Research UK in memory of both his parents who died from the disease.
Following this latest rescue, he has decided to return to Britain and abandon further attempts at the record. His friend, Rita Taylor, who hosted him in Canada, provided a detailed account of the final preparations and departure. She explained that unlike the rushed 2023 attempt, this time allowed for extensive sea trials. The boat was shipped from Britain to Newfoundland in April and underwent weeks of checks.
On launch day, Big C V2 was towed four and a half miles off the coast beyond Cape Spear, the easternmost point of North America. This tow was a strategic move to position him in favorable winds, as the vessel could only sail effectively with a tailwind. Taylor described the atmosphere as positive and confident. The conditions were ideal: calm waters with a southwesterly wind at force three, roughly 10 mph.
The release from the tow was smooth, and Bedwell began sailing in the correct direction. Everyone involved felt a huge sense of relief and optimism that he would succeed.
However, the voyage lasted only about two days before the emergency call. Given his height of 6 feet 2 inches, Bedwell had to spend nearly the entire journey in a cramped, slightly hunched fetal position inside the boat. In rough weather, he would be strapped into a seated posture within what he called an 'upgraded wheelie bin'. He had packed precisely 98 days' worth of food for the estimated crossing duration.
Despite facing freezing temperatures, choppy seas, and the constant threat of icebergs, Bedwell had stated before departure that he was not nervous. The reasons for the specific emergency that triggered the mayday call have not been detailed in the provided information. An update from maritime blogger NL Maritime confirmed that Andrew is safe but that the boat is lost, ending the record bid.
The incident underscores the extreme peril and technical challenges inherent in attempting such a crossing in a vessel of this minuscule size
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British Sailor Rescued After Two Days of Attempt to Cross Atlantic in Tiny BoatAndrew Bedwell, a British sailor, was rescued just two days into his attempt to cross the Atlantic in a tiny 3ft 11in boat. He was hoping to break the world record for the smallest vessel ever to cross the ocean, but his vessel had to be abandoned at sea during the rescue.
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British sailor rescued two days into record‑breaking Atlantic crossing attempt in 3‑ft boatAndrew Bedwell's bid to become the first person to cross the Atlantic in a vessel under four feet ended when the Canadian Coast Guard saved him after a mayday call, abandoning his aluminium craft Big C V2 at sea.
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