One of the best parts about selling rowing pads is getting to know the rowers we meet and the ways our products have made a difference in their practice—on the erg, in the boat, and often, both. In 2024 we met rower Tor Eneroth, who was preparing to attempt an incredible journey: rowing along the entire Swedish coastline, from Svinesund, Norway, to Haparanda, Finland.
As we followed Tor’s journey and learned a bit more about the kind, adventurous person he is, we knew we had to share his story with the rowing community.
MEET: Tor Eneroth
Lives in: Göteborg, Sweden
Occupation: Tor is a consultant and coach helping leaders and change agents to grow healthy and high performing organizational cultures. Learn more about his business, Amcara, at www.amcara.life.
THE CHALLENGE: Row the Entire Swedish Coastline
Looking to test his ability to join the elite echelon of rowers who have rowed the entire Swedish coastline, alone with his thoughts, relying on his physical endurance and inner spirit, Tor Eneroth set off last summer with a smartly packed coastal rowing boat, a Rowing Pad, and much enthusiasm. Lucky for his friends and family following along, he kept a wonderful Instagram diary of his progress.
Key dates: Set off from Svinesund, Norway, on May 1, 2024; arrived in Haparanda, Finland, on July 16.
Days at sea: 61 (though the journey actually spanned 77 days, which accounts for a few days he took off from rowing to attend to work matters and days when it was too windy to row safely)
Distance rowed: 2,473 kilometers, or approximately 40.5 kilometers per day; Tor estimates the journey involved half a million rowing strokes! (Fun fact we learned: “årtag” is the Swedish word for “oar strokes.”)
His boat: A Row Vagabond 4.7 (which he got from his wife when he turned 50), described as “the rowing boat’s answer to the sea kayak…built for expedition rowing, coastal rowing, adventure rowing and exercise rowing.”
What he packed: A lot of careful planning went into maximizing storage in the Vagabond so Tor could survive in between trip’s ashore to restock on food and supplies. Check out his diagrams below.
Where he slept: Nights were a mixture of sleeping in tents set up along the coast and stays with friends and family in his various locations along the route. Tor reported he slept 50 nights in a tent and 11 in a bed during his 61-day rowing journey. Check out some of his overnight stays in this photo montage.
How he tracked his progress: Eneroth kept a detailed log of his location and kilometers rowed each day using the app Relive, which replays the route and saves photos from checkpoints along the way. Check out the snapshot of his first day, during which he rowed 30.6 kilometers over the course of 7 hours, 43 minutes.
Q&A with Swedish Rower Tor Eneroth
Rowing Pad: What inspired you to set out on this journey?
Tor Eneroth: I simply would like to see if I could row that far, even if I was 64 years old and diabetic type 1. And I love being at the sea (I have been off-shore sail racing my whole life ). I was also curious to see how I would cope psychologically, and being with myself alone for long periods. It all went very well, or even better than I expected.
RP: What rowing experience did you have before you set out for the trip? Do you row with a club?
TE: I got the rowing boat from my wife when I turned 50 years old, and I have rowed in the archipelago outside of where we live (on the west coast of Sweden) ever since. I learned how the boat behaves in all different type of weather conditions and with large waves (3 to 4 meters). So I felt safe in all different conditions. Previously, I had only done mostly daily trips of 3 to 6 hours and a few overnight trips.
However, before I took off on my trip around Sweden, I had done daily workouts at the local gym during the last 24 months. Like spinning, indoor walking, shape, body pump, step and Pilates. And rowing on a machine, of course…with my pad!
I have never been part of any rowing club. But now, after I got back from my trip, I have been honored with a lifetime membership to our local rowing club, Göteborgs Roddförening.
“One of the things I was really looking forward to was spending time with myself and being able to reflect on my behaviors. What I wasn’t prepared for was all the nice and generous people I met along the way—fantastic people who offered lunch, dinner, and a roof over my head. All of those encounters I will carry with me forever.”
—Tor Eneroth, as quoted in Naturkompaniet magazine
RP: What did you do for food during the trip? Did you pack enough to last?
TE: Since I am diabetic type 1, I had to practice how to eat when having a physical workout for long periods (like 6 to 12 hours per day). I learned that I consumed about 50 to 70 grams of carbohydrates per hour. So I had to learn to eat a lot of pasta, rice, and bread. I also had Maurten energy bars (specially designed for elite athletes) as security when my blood sugar level dropped too quickly. It could be very dangerous if that happened when out at open sea.
Lunch was usually dry food (REAL dry food from Norway) that was quite good. It made it possible for me to have lunch at the open sea when I was rowing far from land. For breakfast I usually had oatmeal porridge with banana, peanut butter, and soy milk.
I had quite good space to store food for 4 to 6 days. Then I bought food along the way about 10 times.
RP: Tor contacted us before his journey in search of a seat pad that could help ease the strain of his long hours on the water and hold up to the elements. How did the 30MM Boat Pad with Non-Slip hold up during those long hours out on the water?
TE: I must say, I would not have been able to do it without my Rowing Pad! I used it every day, all the time. I rowed between 6 to 12 hours a day, so the pad went through some rough treatment. It got a little worn down [see the photo he shared with us below!], but it did its job well! Wouldn’t have been possible without it.
RP: Love to hear this. We are so glad it was with you on this journey—maybe one day we’ll come row the Swedish coast with you, too! Do you have plans for a next big adventure?
TE: No further plans at the moment. I am still feeling happy and pleased with the journey I had last year. However, I still work out a lot and you never know what the future holds!
We wish you much happiness and luck in your future adventures, Tor. Thank you for sharing your story with Rowing Pad!
To learn more about Tor’s journey around the beautiful Swedish coast, check out his Instagram account: instagram.com/rotor1960.
