Tom McLean

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Tom McLean
Born	circa 1943?
Residence	Ardintigh Bay / Mallaig
Occupation	Adventure Center Owner / Motivational Speaker
Spouse	Jill McLean
Children	James and Ryan McLean
Website http://www.motivationspeaker.co.uk

Tom McLean is a veteran of both the Parachute Regiment and the SAS and is a survival expert who lived on the island of Rockall from 26 May to 4 July 1985 to affirm Britain's claim to the island.

[edit] Military Career

McLean started his military career in University at East Midlands UOTC and served in the Parachute Regiment and SAS for a total of nine years [1].

[edit] Civilian Life

Following his retirement from military service, McLean gained notoriety through his achievement of numerous feats of endurance. He holds the world record as the first man to row across the Atlantic Ocean alone which he did in 1969. He subsequently gained another world record in 1982 by sailing across the Atlantic in the smallest boat to accomplish that crossing. The self built boat measured 9 feet and 9 inches, and because of the weight of the food took an amazing 7 weeks to cross. His record was broken three weeks later by a sailor manning 9 feet and 1 inch long boat. In response McLean, using a chainsaw, cut 2 feet off his own vessel - making it 7 feet and 9 inches in length. During the return trip he lost his mast and the journey took even longer than his first attempt but he regained the record.

In 1985 McLean took up residence on Rockall from 26 May to 4 July and in doing so reaffirmed Britain's claim to the island. Two years later, the then 44 year old McLean set about regaining his transatlantic rowing record and achieved his goal crossing the Atlantic in 54 days.

In 1990 McLean sailed the Atlantic again however this time in a 37ft boat shaped like a bottle which he had constructed himself. His boat named the Typhoo Atlantic Challenger sailed from New York to Falmouth, England. McLean's most recent feat was the construction, in 1996, of a boat shaped like a giant whale. The boat, 'Moby' Prince of Wales, stands 25ft high and 65ft long.