How Fedor Konyukhov swam across the Pacific Ocean. Fedor Konyukhov is preparing for his sixth trip around the world

He has as many as four circumnavigations of the world, completed in splendid isolation.

How to cross the ocean

The first time is always the hardest, especially if you're a teenager. The future famous traveler decided to conquer the sea at the age of fifteen. The place for the experiment was the Sea of ​​Azov, and the instrument was an ordinary fishing boat, equipped only with oars.

True, according to the original plan, Fedor was going to cross the sea on a boat of his own making. But then an angry parent intervened and took away the homemade product. But the young traveler was not at a loss and “borrowed” a fishing boat from the village council. Konyukhov claims that he then swam across the Sea of ​​Azov.

Later he realized that for serious travel you need a good one. And after finishing his service, he went to work as a sailor in the Baltic rescue fleet, and later went on fishing trawlers.

Most likely, Konyukhov did not forget his youthful adventure with a boat in the Sea of ​​​​Azov and decided to conquer the ocean in the same way. The traveler successfully realized his idea, and even repeated it in two oceans. He began in 2002 with the conquest on the Uralaz boat.

The development of the seven-meter vessel was entrusted to Philip Morrison. The body was made of carbon fiber and Canadian cedar wood, and a figurine of a Ural car produced by the sponsor was attached to the nose.

The navigation point was equipped with a stationary and manual GPS device, automatic detection location, electronic compass and radar warning of approaching ships. The life support system was powered by two batteries powered by solar panels. They also provided the ability to replenish supplies using rainwater.

In October 2002, Konyukhov started from and went solo across the Atlantic via Columbus. He reached the island in record time, spending just over 46 days crossing the ocean.

Without a sail and without a motor, armed with only two pairs of oars, Fedor Konyukhov managed to cross the Pacific Ocean. In preparation for the trip, he independently created sketches of a unique boat and entrusted its creation to English specialists. Initially, the ship was named “K9”, but later it was renamed “Turgoyak”.

The nine-meter carbon fiber boat was divided into two parts: a compartment with a miniature galley and a navigation unit (equipped with the latest equipment) and a living compartment, in which part of the area was allocated for navigation equipment. Electricity for household needs was generated by solar panels, and the water desalinator operated from them.

According to the plan, Konyukhov’s boat was supposed to travel from Chile to in six months, without calling at ports or stopping. "Turgoyak" left Concon on December 14, 2013 and headed for the waters of Peru. Along the way, he contacted the support group several times. In mid-January, Konyukhov survived the storm, but was able to continue his journey.

From Peru the traveler went to the Australian city of Mooloolaba, the final point of the solo expedition. The entire journey took 160 days, the boat withstood all the tests of bad weather, and its owner considers himself lucky to have reached his destination so successfully.

On the way, he caught squid, saw a coconut and tried to get rid of the annoying one. He also set a world record for the fastest crossing of the Pacific Ocean and became the first citizen to complete such a journey.

Around the world races and regattas

On this trip around the world, Konyukhov discovered amazing world oceans, rounded Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope. Having closed the planetary circle, the traveler brought the yacht back to Australia in June 1991.

Konyukhov's second circumnavigation of the world began in March 1993. For this trip, he built the Formosa yacht in Taiwan and immediately set off. The voyage took seven months, and in 1994 the traveler abandoned at the starting point.

In 2004, the tireless Fedor Konyukhov started from Falmouth, England, paved the way to the island of Tasmania and returned to Falmouth in 2005. His large yacht “Trading Network” Scarlet Sails"(85 feet long), the first of the ships of this class to round Cape Horn. From December to January next year he sailed on the same ship, but with a Russian crew on board.

In addition to solo circumnavigations, the traveler took part in solo regattas. His name can be found on the list of participants in the “Around Alone” round-the-world regatta, which took place in 1998-1999.

Konyukhov went to the start on the Open 60 class yacht “Modern Humanitarian University”. This voyage is considered the third circumnavigation of the famous Russian traveler.

At the helm of the same yacht, Konyukhov also competed in the French regatta. The ships had to travel around the world without stopping or calling at ports.

It took Konyukhov one hundred and two more days to circumnavigate Antarctica while participating in the Australian Antarctica Cup competition in 2007-2008. He took part in these races on his large yacht “Trading Network “Scarlet Sails”.

Fedor Konyukhov is constantly making new plans and developing routes for new sea voyages. For 2017, he planned not just a regatta or a trip around the world. The traveler has set his sights on the Mariana Trench; he plans to sink to the bottom in a submersible and spend several days there completely alone.

On Saturday, the rowing boat "Turgoyak" touched the coast of Eastern Australia. Thus ended the next journey of Fedor, who single-handedly crossed the largest ocean on the planet - the Pacific - by oars. It took him 160 days to travel from continent to continent, without a single stop at a port and without any outside help, it says. official website traveler

Konyukhov covered more than 17 thousand km ahead of schedule of 180-200 days and set a new world record for time. The previous record for crossing the Pacific Ocean in a single rowing boat in the southern half was 273 days, according to the International Ocean Rowing Society. This result was shown by 52-year-old Englishman Jim Shekdar, who started from the Peruvian port of Ilo on June 29, 2000 and finished on March 30, 2001 on the Australian island of North Stradbroke.

Konyukhov started from the port of Concon in Chile on December 22, 2013 and finished in Mooloolaba, Queensland. From time to time, on his Facebook page, in his characteristic dry manner, he reported on the progress of the risky journey.

“There’s a lot of wind, 20-25 knots, but it’s tailwind, I’m on course. About two hundred miles west of me there is a serious storm and I have a big swell. He lifts the boat like on a swing. The ocean is harsh, but you can live,” wrote He. His “Turgoyak” is a rowing boat 9 m long and 1.8 m wide.

“The main difficulty of this type of test is its monotony. Every day I tried to row for 18 hours, slept 20-25 minutes, but no more than two and a half hours a day. I walked with God’s help: all the biggest hurricanes passed me by, the boat never capsized, favorable currents helped me,” the traveler shared his impressions of the journey, stepping ashore.

“I have been traveling for over 40 years. Previously, I did this mainly for scientific purposes and out of sporting interest, but now I am thinking about the younger generation, to whom I want to instill the spirit of romance. “I want people to dream more,” he answered a question from one of the journalists about what pushes him to new achievements.

Fyodor Konyukhov made more than 40 unique expeditions and ascents, including four circumnavigations of the world, crossed the Atlantic fifteen times and was the first in the world to reach the five poles of our planet: the North Geographical, Southern Geographical, the Pole of Relative Inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, Everest (the height pole ) and Cape Horn (yachtsmen's pole). In 2002, Konyukhov crossed the Atlantic in 46 days on a single rowing boat "Uralaz".

“I have been traveling like Moses in the desert for 40 years. Little time left to pray...

As a mature person, I realized that there is no loneliness in the world. After all, whales or dolphins swim in the ocean next to you, birds soar in the sky, and on the way to the pole you meet bears and seals.

And I also know for sure that God and the saints to whom you pray are always present nearby. In the vast ocean, no one can help you except them,” he once said in an interview. His thirst for adventure and conquering new heights is combined with religiosity. Konyukhov is a priest.

His next goal is to fly around the globe in a hot air balloon. According to Konyukhov, this will be a non-stop flight with start and finish in Australia; the traveler plans to fly from west to east along latitude 40.

There is hardly a Russian who has not heard about the travels of Fyodor Konyukhov - they talk and write a lot about him on the Internet.

"On Globe There are no unbelievers, all seven billion believe, a person cannot live without faith. Now I am building a chapel in memory of Fyodor Ushakov. In general, without God, I would not have enough intelligence or health to do what I do. When I row alone in the ocean, I feel like angels are rowing, they are helping me.”

French actor Sami Naceri called Fyodor Konyukhov the record holder for hot air balloon travel and “the only adventurer” who explored the Northern and South pole. This is an “incredible person,” the movie star noted.

Konyukhov, traveler, where now: about the traveler

Fedor Konyukhov is a Russian traveler and explorer, the first person in the world to reach five poles - the Northern Geographic (three times), the Southern Geographic, the Pole of Relative Inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, Everest (the height pole), Cape Horn (the yachtsmen's pole).

Is a full member of the Russian Geographical Society, author of more than three thousand paintings, participant in Russian and international art exhibitions, author of 17 books, member of the Writers' Union of the Russian Federation.

Winner of the national Crystal Compass award.

Fyodor Filippovich Konyukhov - Soviet and Russian traveler, writer, artist, priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

He graduated from vocational school No. 15 of the city of Bobruisk (now Bobruisk State Vocational and Technical Art College) with a degree in inlay carving, Odessa Naval School (navigator), then Leningrad Arctic School (ship mechanic). Studied at the St. Petersburg Theological Seminary.

He carried out his first expedition at the age of 15 - he crossed the Sea of ​​Azov on a rowing boat.

In 1989, together with his younger brother Pavel, he took part in the Soviet-American bicycle ride “Nakhodka-Leningrad”.

Since 1998 - head of laboratory distance learning V extreme conditions(LDOEU) in Modern humanitarian academy(Moscow).

By 2016, he had made more than 50 unique expeditions and ascents, expressing his vision of the world in paintings and books.

In 1983 he was admitted to the Union of Artists of the USSR (the youngest at that time).

Since 1996 - member of the Moscow Union of Artists (USA), section "Graphics", since 2001 also a member of the section of the Ministry of Agriculture "Sculpture". Author of more than three thousand paintings, participant in Russian and international exhibitions.

Since 2012 - Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts. Author of 18 books, member of the Union of Writers of Russia.

On May 19, 2012, as part of the Russian “7 Summits” team, Fedor Konyukhov made his second ascent to the top of Everest, this time along the Northern Ridge (from the Tibet side).

An “expedition” of Konyukhov and Viktor Simonov from Karelia to the southern tip of Greenland via North Pole. This route is the longest in the Arctic (more than 4000 km). As a result, the travelers covered only 900 km.

In the period from December 22, 2013 to May 31, 2014, he traveled across the Pacific Ocean on the rowing boat "Turgoyak" from the port of Concon (Chile) to Brisbane (Australia). Having spent 160 days on the journey, Konyukhov showed the best result for traveling alone on a rowing boat without visiting ports or outside assistance (the best of the previous similar journeys lasted 273 days). This is the first continent-to-continent rowboat crossing of the Pacific Ocean.

On July 12, 2016, Fedor Konyukhov, after a year of training with the support of the team, began his solo flight around the world in the MORTON hot air balloon, manufactured by Cameron Balloons (Bristol). The launch took place at the airfield of the Australian town of Northam along the same route as the record flight of his predecessor Steve Fossett in 2002 - the aircraft took off from the ground at 07:33 local time (02:33 Moscow time). On July 23, 2016 at 11:11 Moscow time, Fedor Konyukhov landed safely in western Australia. Set a new world record for flight around the world - 11 days 4 hours and 20 minutes or 268 hours and 20 minutes.

Konyukhov, traveler, where now: today

For 2018, Konyukhov is planning a flight into the stratosphere, as well as a trip around the world on a rowing boat.

Rafting on local rivers in honor of Miner’s Day is also planned for August 2018 in Gornaya Shoria in Kuzbass.

Traveler Fyodor Konyukhov was unable to take part in the “Crimean Around the World” due to the fact that he was studying to become a small aircraft pilot in Belarus.
Fedor Konyukhov was going to be part of the “around the world” trip, but later his plans changed.

The Russian glider should launch in 2020, and it will be piloted by traveler Fyodor Konyukhov, who has already completed five circumnavigations of the world and, in particular, set a record by flying a hot air balloon around the Earth in 268 hours. Konyukhov has already become well accustomed to the status of an aviator and has completed training as a pilot at the Minsk Aviation training center"Diamond."

The cost of the project is still difficult to predict; the budget may change due to many reasons, the main ones being the technological component and unforeseen logistics costs. The technological investor of the project was the Renova group of companies.

Soviet and Russian traveler Fyodor Konyukhov is preparing for his sixth trip around the world, which he will make on a miniature rowing boat.

In 250 days, Fedor Konyukhov plans to cover 27 thousand kilometers. He will sail on a tumbler boat to Cape Horn in Chile, then head to the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and return back to New Zealand. The first stage of the expedition will begin in November 2018.

Konyukhov, traveler, where now: latest news

Fyodor Konyukhov's travel school for children is planned to be built in the village of Mashino, Bakhchisaray district. Pupils here will engage not only in sports and creativity, but also develop spiritually.

Konyukhov himself spoke about this:

“There will be a school for travelers. We are ready to build even now: there is land, there are investors. All my friends and sponsors will implement this. I have such schools in Vologda, Chelyabinsk region. We want to teach children about travel. This is not only sports, but also spirituality and education. At the entrance to the village there will be a chapel on the right and a mosque on the left,” he shared his plans.

Russian traveler Fyodor Konyukhov, in an interview with Zvezda radio, commented on the rescue of St. Petersburg climber Alexander Gukov, who waited for help for six days without water or food.

“You can even sit there, but your strength goes away. As they say, the mountain takes away,” he said.

Konyukhov admired Gukov’s willpower and emphasized that the St. Petersburger is a real climber.

“Few people would do that. I admire him,” concluded the traveler.

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On December 22, 2013, a single-seater rowing boat set out from the Chilean port of Concon into the open ocean. The final point of the route was the Australian city of Mooloolaba. There was only one crew member on board the boat - Fedor Konyukhov.

On December 12, 2012, his birthday - he is now 62 - the traveler announced his intention to cross the Pacific Ocean by rowboat without entering ports and without escort. This happened in England, where Konyukhov flew to approve the final version of the boat under the working name "K9". According to Konyukhov’s decision, this boat retained the classic design and shape of his previous boat, the URALAZ, on which he crossed the Atlantic in 46 days in 2002.

The boat was made of carbon fiber. The hull is 9 meters long and 1.6 meters wide, divided into 5 waterproof bulkheads. It is significant that all the builders of the K9, and professional sailors themselves, have experience in single sea crossings with oars. In particular, the chief construction manager, Englishman Charlie Pitcher, crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice alone in a rowing boat. Among the creators are rowers who rowed across the Indian Ocean.

However, it is incorrect to compare the Pacific Ocean with others. “The Atlantic is a route of 3 thousand miles, which can be covered in one season,” explains Konyukhov. “The Pacific Ocean on the section Chile - the east coast of Australia has a route length of 9 thousand nautical miles. It’s clear that I won’t be able to do it in one season.” I plan to start in the summer (December in the Southern Hemisphere), and finish in the late autumn; I cannot avoid storms on the approach to Australia. The boat must withstand enormous loads, and I will need the most. modern technologies, the latest developments in ocean rowing projects. That’s why I invited active ocean rowers to the project.”

Later, instead of the faceless "K9", the boat was named "Turgoyak".

Turgoyak is a large freshwater lake in the Chelyabinsk region near the city of Miass. Very picturesque. In addition to its beauty, it is famous for the fact that in the summer it hosts all-Russian regattas for the Konyukhov Cup. There is also a traveler's house-museum here. As the regatta organizers remind, it is on this lake that he recovers from difficult expeditions and draws inspiration for his new projects.

But the most meticulous admirers of the traveler’s exploits who try to figure out the etymology of the name of the boat, I’m afraid, will have to abandon the idea. Mission impossible. The fact is that the origin of the term Turgoyak is not entirely obvious even to local historians. Presumably, the word is from the Bashkir language, but there is no convincing interpretation of the toponym. There are many translation options, one more ridiculous than the other: from “Stop the leg” to “Big chicken”. There is also a romantic version: the lake got its name from an ancient legend about the love of the young man Tur and the girl Goyak.

Whatever it was, “Turgoyak” has already gone down in the history of the most incredible journeys. “The first solo trip in history on a rowing boat from the coast of Chile to Australia was successful,” President Putin stated in a congratulatory telegram to Konyukhov. “You continued the wonderful traditions of the great Russian explorers and travelers who made a great contribution to the study of the World Ocean.”

Conquering the elements, as always, was difficult. The route across the Pacific Ocean ran in the corridor of 30-35 degrees South latitude, and in these latitudes Fedor had to go around the islands of Robinson Crusoe, Easter, Pitcairn and others. Having covered the first half of the journey (4000 miles), the boat entered the area of ​​atolls, many of which are still not marked on the map. In this part of the ocean there is little shipping and in case of an emergency you can wait a week or more for help, unlike Atlantic Ocean, where, according to statistics, help for yachtsmen comes within 24 hours. “The main difficulty of this kind of test is its monotony,” admitted Konyukhov. “Every day I tried to row for 18 hours, slept for 20-25 minutes, but no more than 2.5 hours a day. I was not washed up on islands or reefs, I avoided collisions with ships, did not receive any injuries, and, of course, my approach to the shores of Australia in perfect weather and safe disembarkation was all thanks to prayers."

The motive for record swimming is not so much science and sporting interest. In any case, this is what Konyukhov himself claims. The record is for the sake of the younger generation, to whom he wants to instill the spirit of romance.

“I travel to make people dream more,” says the traveler. Adding that his next goal is to fly around the Earth in a hot air balloon.

Konyukhov crossed the Pacific Ocean on a single rowing boat in 160 days with a plan of 200 days. The previous best achievement was 273 days. This result was shown by 52-year-old Englishman Jim Shekdar.

Dossier "RG"

Fedor Konyukhov was born in 1951 in Ukraine, on the shores of the Azov Sea, in the village of Chkalovo. By profession, navigator (Odessa Naval School and Leningrad Arctic School), artist and sculptor (Bobruisk Art School), honorary academician Russian Academy artist, author of 3 thousand paintings. Member of the Writers' Union of the Russian Federation, author of 12 books.

Made 4 voyages around the world. The first person in the world to reach 5 poles: the Northern Geographical pole (three times), the Southern Geographical pole, the Pole of relative inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean, Everest (the height pole) and the Cape Horn yachtsmen's pole. The first Russian citizen to climb the "7 Summits of the World".

In 2010 he was ordained as a deacon and received the priesthood at St. Nicholas Church in Zaporozhye.

He has a large family: a wife, two sons and a daughter, four grandchildren and two granddaughters.