New couple launch self‑built rowing boat on RiverThames trip

Rosie Blades and Michael Bailey, who met less than a year ago, set off from Farringdon today (Friday, July 31), with the hopes of finishing at the Thames Estuary on Sunday, August 9.

The boat, named The Floating Funquest, will pass under Folly Bridge near Christ Church Meadow in Oxford tomorrow (Saturday) before carrying on to other Oxfordshire locations including Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames.

Mr Bailey has previously rowed the Thames in a solo boat built by his father and had always dreamed of building a larger, shared vessel.

Rosie Blades and Michael Bailey, who met less than a year ago, set off from Faringdon today (Friday, July 31) and plan to finish at the Thames Estuary on Sunday, August 9. (Image: The Floating Funquest)

Ms Blades said: “Building the boat has become just as much a part of the adventure as rowing it.

“It’s been an opportunity to challenge ourselves, learn completely new skills and create something with our own hands that will carry us on future expeditions.”

The duo began the project in December 2025, building the vessel as a personal challenge and a way to raise awareness for environmental charities includingThames21 and Surfers Against Sewage.

Thames21 works to restore and protect rivers through hands-on conservation, data collection, and public engagement.

Surfers Against Sewage campaigns for clean oceans and water quality, bringing pollution issues into national focus.

The Floating Funquest being built (Image: The Floating Funquest)

The pair completed most of the work themselves with support from friends, family, and the wider community, relying on second-hand tools and repurposed materials.

“It’s quite special”, he said, “We’ll be launching the boat we designed and built ourselves together just days before the first anniversary of meeting each other – That makes the launch feel even more meaningful.”

The pair hope their journey will encourage others to care for the river and support environmental action.

They will pass through places in Oxfordshire on the River Thames (Image: The Floating Funquest)

Ms Blades said: “If our story encourages even a handful of people to spend more time enjoying and looking after the Thames, we’ll feel the expedition has achieved something meaningful.”

Their time on the water will be shared online through videos and social media, and their schedule allows for community engagement at each stop.

This includes riverside presentations and boat tours, where they will talk about the build and the importance of river stewardship.

After months of building, the couple said setting off from Lechlade was e a deeply emotional moment.

The Floating Funquest being tested on the water (Image: The Floating Funquest)

They said: “More than anything, we’ll feel incredibly proud, not just because we’ve built a boat, but because we’ve proved to ourselves that ambitious ideas really can become reality if you’re willing to learn, work hard and keep going.

“Launch day won’t feel like the end of the project; it’ll feel like the beginning.

“This expedition is the first chapter of a lifetime of adventures together.”