“Dean joined the Royal Navy at the age of 16 and ever since has had a passion for adventure and a love of the sea.
During his time in the Navy, he trained as a marine engineering electrician and after transitioning into civilian life, used these skills to good effect, managing teams and businesses throughout his career.
Now retiring from professional life, Dean follows his passion for ‘out of the ordinary adventure’ where uncertain outcomes make for great stories!
Dean is no stranger to personal challenges, having successfully completed marathons, Iron Man events, the world-renowned Marathon des Sables in 2017 and several ocean crossings.
In 2021/22, he safely skippered a four-man rowing boat in the World’s Toughest Row. He has recently competed in the Fastnet race, both in the rough 2023 race and again in 2025. Dean will be sailing solo in the 2026 Globe 5.80T transatlantic race and will then race in the OGR27 on board ‘Outlaw’, a Baltic 55, sailing around the great Capes.
He is yachtmaster-qualified with a strong belief in “safety first”, whilst understanding our adventures will always carry some risk”.
Since 1986, the MDS (MARATHON DES SABLES) has taken participants far beyond a simple race. With 6 destinations and 7 formats, the MDS offers around ten events every year across the globe.
From the Moroccan Sahara to the wild coasts of Namibia and to the mystical deserts of Jordan, each experience is a unique adventure where pushing your limits meets the discovery of extraordinary landscapes.
The MDS is more than just a sporting challenge: it’s a human adventure.
Four friends rowing across the Atlantic in memory of a premature baby who lived for just 37 days have completed their challenge.
The rowers finished the 3,000 mile (4,800km) voyage in tribute to Elijah and other premature babies for charity.
The team raised £300,000 for Action Medical Research after finishing up in Antigua in the Caribbean on Saturday.
Phil, Mac, Dean and Jason, left La Gomera left the Canary Islands for the odyssey on Sunday 12 December.
They completed the journey in 41 days, crossing the finish line at 09:41 local time.