The bright yellow lifeboat, named Stødig, was previously a 100-person lifeboat for CalMac Ferries in Scotland. The lifeboat has been carefully converted over the last 12+ months into a “utilitarian expedition vessel” to carry Architects, renovators & owners Guylee Simmonds and David Schnabel on the adventure of a lifetime to Tromsø, Norway, 217 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Guylee, David and dog Shackleton departed their moorings in Newhaven on Monday 20th May, expecting to arrive in roughly 5 months’ time.

Guylee and David have outlined the 3,500km route they are planning to take. “From Newhaven, Stødig will cross the Channel and then skirt the Dutch coast, passing through the Kiel canal into the Baltic. Travelling up the Danish then Swedish coast past Copenhagen and Göteborg, they will then cross the Skagerrak, south of the lower tip of Norway and on up to Bergen. The lifeboat will then follow the route of the famous Hurtigruten ferry, passing up the fjords for over 1500 kilometres to Tromsø.” They then plan to spend the arctic winter exploring the area around Tromsø.

Guylee and David heard about Redheat while researching renewable and low energy solutions for the lifeboat and were put in touch with the team. The Redheat infrared heating film was a perfect solution for the lifeboat; it’s unique flexibility and 0.5mm thinness meant that it could be fitted on the curved internal walls of the lifeboat, underneath the hardwood ply lining.

As energy availability is limited on the lifeboat, it was important for the heating solution to also be as low energy as possible, but to still be effective in Arctic winter temperatures! The converted lifeboat also features solar and wind power, a composting toilet and plenty of space for equipment and guests within the two forward cabins and kitchen & dining area.

Redheat Solutions Managing Director David Humphriss commented “We are excited to be able to support such a unique project with Redheat; it’s such a great application for this low energy heating product. Guylee and David have done an amazing job with converting the lifeboat and I was lucky enough to see it before it’s departure this week. We wish them all the best (even though we’re rather jealous of their adventures!) and will be avidly following their progress online.”

Follow the progress of Guylee, David and Shackleton via their Instagram page (@arcticlifeboat), Facebook page (@arcticlifeboat) or via their website www.arctic-lifeboat.com. To find out more about Redheat, please visit www.redheatsolutions.com, or to experience this specialist heating solution for yourself arrange a meeting with us at UK Construction Week 2019.