Blog: On the crest of a wave for charity

Blog: Shropshire businessman Rob Hancocks is putting himself to the ultimate speed and endurance test in a bid to raise money for Hope House children's hospices.

He is one of the organisers of the 2010 Great British Rib Rally, which is a 12-day boating challenge that circumnavigates mainland Great Britain and Ireland.

Now, with just days to go before the challenge starts, it's all starting to feel very real!

Here he writes about his preparations:

It's T minus 8 days, 22 hours till we set off from Portland in Dorset to Falmouth in South Cornwall in a rubber dinghy on a 12 day, 2,000 mile endurance rally around the outer limits of the British Isles.

This is the bucket list – man (and rubber dinghy) against whatever the seas and weather throw against us as we raise as much money as possible for Hope House Children's Hospices.

We have sold the two rear seats to other intrepid adventurers on a leg by leg basis, so we have 24 people joining us along the route, plus some excellent sponsors, all helping to raise the cash pot for such a worthwhile cause.

The dinghy is actually a specially modified 10m race RIB with 700HP of racing engines on the back end. It's a bright orange and grey thing capable of over 85mph, but it's excellent in some of the heavy seas normally seen on TV's North Sea Rescue and Deadliest Catch.

Nearly all of the prep is done, the sleeping, support and food logistics are almost sorted, 24 people from all over the UK have gone through training and are getting slightly nervous, the charts are updated and we're watching fuel prices go up and up (we need approx 7,500 litres of unleaded).

Just enough time left to lose weight and get fit.

Is there anyone with the time and feeling moderately generous reading this blog? Please go to http://www.justgiving.com/CoolRunning-HopeHouse and do the right thing!

I will be updating this blog each evening with video clips and photos. I hope you find it mildly amusing and follow us over 2000 miles, seeing the British coast as never before and donating when you can.

Thanks,

Rob Hancocks

Helm – Cool Running / GBRR2010