Walton Rowing Club’s David Hosking is no stranger to long-distance rowing, having already crossed the Atlantic in a record-breaking time.

So, with the ocean tamed, Hosking, club-mate Stuart Chamberlayne and crew-mates Neil Ward and Julian Bellido are taking on the GB Row Challenge, aiming to break that record too.

The quartet – called Team Hallin – set out on their 2,600km voyage around Great Britain on Saturday, and are up against six other teams – all vying to break the record that stands at 26 days, 21 hours and 14 minutes and claim the £100,000 prize.

Former Royal Navy Commander and 1980 rowing world champion Hosking said: “Only three crews have rowed around GB, so more people have walked on the moon. One crew did it in the record, one did it in 50 days and the other in 55 days.

“If we have any hope in beating that record we need three things – a good boat, a good crew and good weather. We have the first two, but we cannot do anything about the weather.”

Hosking, whose daughter Sophie won rowing gold at the London 2012 Olympics, said: “We have two people rowing at any one time, two hours on, two hours off, non-stop, we hope, for a month.

“In your off time, you have to maintain the boat, maintain yourself, navigate, check the weather and try to get some rest.”

The team has just completed a year of training, having rowed 70km to 300km a week – but there is more to it than simply rowing.

Hosking said: “When going along the shoreline, we have to be very careful not to be blown on to rocks, into shallows or oil rigs, off-shore wind farms or any other of the million hazards you get around the coast.”

The 2012 GB Row Challenge

It may come as a surprise, but one of the team’s best friends on the voyage is surgical spirit. Many hours of repetitive rowing can lead to blisters and sores – hence needing the right spirit.

Hosking said: “Your body can soak up a lot of pain, but the high pressure points are your feet and back-side – you can get salt sores which can be unpleasant, especially with all the sitting down. Between each watch you alternate what you’re sitting on.

“Hands are a sore point, you can wear gloves, but you will get blisters, there is nothing you can do.

“So our biggest friend is surgical spirit, every two hours we cover the sores in the stuff, which hopefully kills the bacteria and toughens your hands.”

Team Hallin, sponsored by John Giddens of Hallin Marine, are raising funds for Combat Stress. To donate, go to justgiving.com/teamtriton. Follow the crew on Twitter @Team_Hallin.