Nov 26, 2025
Nov 19, 2025
British Explorer Set For Atlantic Crossing in 3’3” Micro Yacht
- Scott Way
- 41 minutes ago
- 4 min read
It's finally coming to fruition.
After years of planning, design changes, and a disaster during his last attempt, British adventurer Andrew Bedwell is set to re-embark on a long-anticipated trans-Atlantic crossing he's been working on since 2022.
Bedwell will sail solo, from Newfoundland on Canada's East Coast to Cornwall on England's West Coast, in a vessel aptly described as “the size of a wheelie bin.” If successful, he'll hold the world record for the smallest boat to ever cross the Atlantic.
His boat is a mere 3'3", or 1 meter, in length.
Years in the Making
Bedwell's ambition dates back years, when he first began preparing to complete the roughly 2000-mile (3200 km) crossing. To beat the record, he'd have to do so in a purpose-built "micro-vessel" not even long enough to lie down inside. His first attempt ended in disaster when his boat, the original Big C, fell from a crane while being lifted out of the water. Bedwell had departed from the Newfoundland coast, but returned to port after two days because of a leak inside the boat, only for the vessel to shatter on the concrete in front of him when the cables holding it up failed. His journey before he even had a chance to gain momentum.
Bedwell has spent the last three years redesigning and refining the boat—now named The Big C2 V2—a compact boat made from fiberglass and foam construction engineered specifically for the journey. The design draws inspiration from his earlier record attempts and those of others, particularly those of American sailor Hugo Vihlen and British adventurer Tom McNally, whose ultra-small craft set previous benchmarks in the unique category.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Bedwell said he was inspired by the current record holder Hugo Vihlen, who succeeded in crossing the Atlantic twice in 1968 and again in 1993. On his second trip, Vihlen used a 5'4" boat. Bedwell's Big C V2 is based on the Vihlen design, albeit 25" shorter than the already unbelievably short April Fool hull that Vihlen used.
For his 2026 attempt, Bedwell ran sea trials and continued modifying the vessel’s buoyancy, keel balance, and structural layout. The boat's hull is made of aluminum with foam sandwiched between the exterior and interior layers. The modifications delayed his departure once again as he worked to tweak Big C V2 into a viable ocean-going setup capable of withstanding the massive waves of the North Atlantic.
The Voyage Plan
Once again, Bedwell is set to depart from Newfoundland with the crossing expected to take between 60 and 90 days depending on weather conditions. His route will follow the traditional North Atlantic track toward southwest England through some of the world’s busiest and most challenging water.
As you'd expect, life aboard Big C V2 will be highly constrained. Bedwell is 6' tall (1.82 m), meaning the boat is too small for him to stand upright or lie flat, forcing him to remain in a seated or crouched position for the duration.
"When the conditions are bad I'm seated, and what I'll be doing is I'll be fully harnessed into the boat with my hands, my elbows, everything harnessed," he told the BBC.
"When the conditions are good, I can stand up, open the hatch and stand up. I've got a host of exercises to do."
Food supplies will be limited and compact. His diet will be comprised mainly of a unique energy bar made primarily from beef jerky, raisins, and fat. To minimize the space used in the boat, the vacuum-sealed packs will be molded right into the interior framework. Sleep will be taken in short intervals due to the demands of solo offshore navigation.
"So outside the boat looks awful, but from inside the boat it's actually not that bad, It's quite comfortable, I shall say, for a while," he said to the BBC.
Despite its size, Big C V2 is equipped with all the essential safety and navigation systems of a larger vessel, including communication equipment and redundancies designed for offshore conditions.
Bedwell has been documenting the lead-up to the trip on his YouTube channel, walking viewers through everything from the boat being crated for its trip to Newfoundland to how his unique plumbing system onboard Big C V2.
Record Attempt and Purpose
For Bedwell, his aim is to not only break the longstanding record for the smallest vessel to complete a solo Atlantic crossing, but to also raise funds for charity. He's raising funds for Cancer Research UK after losing both parents to the disease. The connection is reflected in the vessel’s name, the 'Big C,' the often-used gentler synonym for cancer.
Set For Departure
He plans to depart in mid-May if the weather cooperates. His boat is already in Newfoundland ready to go. Bedwell is there too, making final preparations and rigging his boat with the last of his gear.
If successful, the crossing would not only make Bedwell a world record holder, it'll place him among an elite group of explorers. Few have crossed the Atlantic solo in any form of vessel, let alone in a "micro yacht."
You can follow Andrew's progress through an online tracking app that gives realtime updates of his location or through his Facebook page.
Check out the walkthrough of the Big C V2 in the video below and get the answers to Andrew's most common questions:
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