Oar-some effort! Retired Major Mick, 80, raises more than £30,000 for hospice by rowing 100 miles in his homemade corrugated iron boat the Tintanic
- Michael Stanley rowed along the Chichester canal in West Sussex at 2mph
- He completed his mammoth challenge in twice-weekly stints for three months
- During the trip, he celebrated his 80th birthday and 50th wedding anniversary
An 80-year-old retired Army major has raised more than £30,000 for rowing 100 miles in his homemade boat, the ‘Tintanic’.
‘Major Mick’ Michael Stanley rowed along the Chichester canal in West Sussex in twice-weekly stints for three months, travelling at 2mph.
During the trip, the veteran celebrated his 80th birthday and his 50th wedding anniversary.
He was welcomed at Chichester Basin by his 10-year-old grandson Toby Liddiard with a rendition of Drunken Sailor on the trumpet.
‘Major Mick’ Michael Stanley – an 80-year-old retired Army major – has raised more than £30,000 for rowing 100 miles in his homemade boat, the ‘Tintanic’ (pictured)
Mr Stanley rowed along the Chichester canal in West Sussex in twice-weekly stints for three months, travelling at 2mph
During the trip, the veteran (right, after he finished) celebrated his 80th birthday and his 50th wedding anniversary. Left: Mr Stanley with his wife Sally
Mr Stanley – who served in The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards for 35 years – said: ‘I am very pleased to have done it but I shall miss the chitchat, the laughter and the banter I have had with the people on the towpath.
‘But I won’t be so sorry to miss the weather which has been a bit wet and cold.’
He said the trips had been perfect for remaining sociable during Covid-19 restrictions.
He said: ‘I will miss not meeting people, nothing could be better for talking to people that keeping a distance from the boat, there’s no way they can get near you.’
He was welcomed at Chichester Basin by his 10-year-old grandson Toby Liddiard with a rendition of Drunken Sailor on the trumpet (pictured)
Mr Stanley (pictured during the challenge) served in The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards for 35 years
Mr Stanley (pictured during the challenge) said: ‘I am very pleased to have done it but I shall miss the chitchat, the laughter and the banter I have had with the people on the towpath’
Mr Stanley said the trips had been perfect for remaining sociable during Covid-19 restrictions
Mr Stanley (pictured emptying water from a mini version of the boat he towed along) said he had completed 105 miles – after expecting to do 100 – and had calculated he would have carried out 105,000 strokes during the challenge.
He added: ‘The boat has done very well, it still leaks a bit but with the flexibility of the corrugated iron and wood, I am unable to completely eradicate that.
‘As for me, I am doing pretty well, I have a bit of stiffness in my fingers, whether this is a normal old age thing or to do with the rowing, I do not know, but no blisters.’
Mr Stanley said he had completed 105 miles – after expecting to do 100 – and had calculated he would have carried out 105,000 strokes during the challenge.
He added: ‘That’s pretty awesome.’
As of Friday, Mr Stanley had received a total of £33,671 in sponsorship in aid of St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Bosham.
The hospice will be selling the Tintanic, complete with bailing bucket, through an eBay auction.
As of Friday, Mr Stanley (pictured during the challenge) had received a total of £33,671 in sponsorship in aid of St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Bosham
The hospice will be selling the Tintanic (pictured), complete with bailing bucket, through an eBay auction