Currently off the coast of the South Hams and six days into his Great British Odyssey challenge, Angus Collins is aiming to become the first person to row non-stop, solo and unsupported around Great Britain.

The world’s most successful ocean rower is also aiming to raise £250,000 for men’s suicide prevention charity James’ Place in the process.

The endurance athlete left Portsmouth Harbour in his bespoke ocean rowing boat, crafted in Cornwall, on June 28 and is rowing clockwise around the coast of the Great Britain taking advantage of the prevailing south-westerly winds.

He is currently off the coast of Salcombe and Dartmouth, and is set to enter Cornish waters next week as he continues his latest world record attempt rowing for up to 18 hours a day to complete the journey of almost 2,000 miles.

Despite having rowed over 15,000 miles across the three largest oceans, Angus believes that circumnavigating Great Britain will be his toughest challenge yet.

Record breaking ocean rower Angus Collins at Southsea Marina, Portsmouth Harbour preparing to set off on his attempt to circumnavigate the British Isles in his custom built Cornish rowing boat. (Picture: Cesare Serventi, Inkwood Studios)
Angus Collins with Clare Milford Haven, who founded James' Place after her son James died by suicide, along with her husband as Angus sets off on A Great British Odyssey. (Picture: Cesare Serventi, Inkwood Studios.) ( )

The world record challenge dictates that Angus cannot accept any supplies or even touch another vessel, and must stay aboard the boat for the entire challenge, stopping only to anchor, sleep and refuel.

The route could take between 30 and 60 days to complete and see the rower navigating Europe’s biggest whirlpools as well the English Channel, the world’s busiest shipping lane, without any support.

His bespoke boat was carefully crafted over the Tamar in South East Cornwall, in Millbrook, over an eight-month period by expert boat builder Ian Munslow of Millbrook based business Carbonish Structures.

Angus said: “Rowing along the Cornish coast will be very special for me because in many ways Cornwall is where A Great British Odyssey began. It’s certainly where the boat came to life, right in front of my eyes.

“I hope Ian and the incredible team at Carbonish will feel a strong sense of pride knowing this unique vessel is being rowed through local waters - it should be a special homecoming for her.”

The Cornish-built boat has now left Millbrook for sea trials and training around Southampton, but will return to Cornwall when Angus rows it around the coast in June. (Picture: Angus Collins)
The custom-built rowing boat was crafted in Millbrook, South East Cornwall and is due to enter Cornish waters next week (July 14). Picture: Cesare Serventi, Inkwood Studios. ( )

Angus’s rowing boat was designed by naval architects, Owen Clarke, and is made from recycled carbon fibres. Weighing in at just 89kg and measuring just over 6m in length, it is thought to be the world's smallest, lightest and fastest ocean rowing vessel.

With the ability to hold up to 60 days worth of supplies, the boat also incorporates room for a desalinator to purify salt water for drinking and rehydrating freeze-dried food, along with communications and technical equipment to enable Angus to navigate, weather route and stay in contact with the mainland.

Angus is the youngest man to break world records rowing across the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans and is a passionate mental health advocate. He is rowing to raise £250,000 for men’s suicide prevention charity James’ Place, which offers free and life saving treatment to men in suicidal crisis.

Supporters can track Angus’s progress live as he makes his way around the coast at: www.gbodyssey.com/tracking.

Donations can be made at www.gbodyssey.com and www.justgiving.com/page/gbodyssey.