Book review: The Naked Rower

An Olympic rower, Hamill starts from the beginning describing where his ‘crazy’ idea to row across an ocean came from. He writes with an open sincerity that shows warts and all – his good points as well as his bad, his mistakes, faux pas as well as the things he got right – with a healthy dose of humour. This book would make a great ‘how to’ and ‘how not to’ row across an ocean.

It also is a book about wanting to win at practically any cost. Right from the beginning Hamill and Stubbs approached the event as a race to win and did everything they thought they should to make sure their boat, Kiwi Challenge, crossed the Atlantic first. This single-minded drive was crucial for the relationship between Hamill and Stubbs, but also hugely problematic in terms of the relationship between the two men.
Much of the book details how the crew of two made it to the start line of the race – the building of the boat, fundraising, equipping the boat, learning about facets of the journey including weather, food and fitness. At the halfway point in the book Hamill is still a fair distance from the start line. It is no cliché to say perhaps the toughest part for Hamill, and partner Phil Stubbs, was just getting to the start line.

There is no coyness on Hamill’s part especially when describing numerous episodes of seasickness and the workings of going to the toilet on a moving boat. This, though, is an integral part of getting inside and feeling Hamill’s experience which he readily allows. Hamill’s writing style makes it feel like he is in the room with you personally telling you a story.

Racing in 1997 and racing in the first ever Trans-Atlantic rowing race meant that Hamill and Stubbs had much less technology than is now available. They had a radio to listen occasionally so that they could keep in touch with what was going on in the outside world, but, for the entire race, they had no idea where they were in relation to the other competing boats. This maybe drove them harder as they always believed that there could possibly be boats in front of them.

Hamill’s own blend of humour remains right to the finish line.

“I had imagined this moment right from the beginning of the campaign: piers lined with gorgeous women, throwing their clothes at us… We pulled into the finishing jetty and there before us on the pier was a line of ugly men!”

The Naked Rower was first published in 2000 and has been reprinted nearly every year since through to 2008 (twice). It is timeless read.

The book is available through the World Rowing Library at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk