Lieutenant Commander Stephen Fuller of the Royal Navy is undertaking a 500km, solo, unsupported charity sea-kayak between Falmouth and Portsmouth. The trip will encompass some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world and has some particularly challenging sections including Start Point and Portland Races…it is expected that the trip will take 3 weeks. For this trip, Stephen will be relying on an Icom IC-M23 Buoyant VHF Marine Transceiver for radio communications and interaction with the coastguard.

Stephen said: “I plan to raise funds for 2 charities: Children in Need and the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity. The trip will be a great personal challenge and will be a stern test of my skills as an International Sea Kayak Guide’s Association (ISKGA) Coastal Guide.”

He added: “The radio will be crucial in maintaining contact with the Coastguard and the shipping around me. Should anything go wrong or I come across someone else who is in need of assistance the radio will be an essential life saver in facilitating the correct emergency response. I couldn’t imagine undertaking this trip without a good quality radio.”

He went on to say: “As I expect to only have access to mains electricity once or twice during the trip the donation of spare batteries, which I can pre-charge, forms a crucial part of my layered safety protocols. I am funding the majority of the trip myself and am very grateful to Icom UK for their generous support in this safety critical area.”

Ian Lockyer, Marketing Manager of Icom UK Ltd said: “Everyone at Icom UK wishes Stephen every success in his charity quest. If you want to sponsor Stephen please visit the following uk.virginmoneygiving.com/stephenfuller or text PTOP69 £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70700.”