TWO thirds of the fleet have passed the halfway mark of the Atlantic Rowing Race, which has now entered its seventh week.

Dartmouth's Jo Langmead has been giving her boat's bottom a scrub, Trusham's Dave Brooks is bemoaning the loss of his guitar and Stu Burbridge is holding on to a top-half place.

The gruelling 2,550 nautical mile race from the Canary Islands to English Harbour on Antigua includes seven solos, 20 pairs and three fours.

Brooks is rowing solo aboard the 24ft ocean rowing boat Team Panasonic, Langmead is aboard the all female four Mission Atlantic, and former Torbay Hospital doctor Burbridge rows in the pair Ocean Summit.

From aboard Mission Atlantic, Langmead wrote: "The time had arrived for a little bottom attention (the bottom of the boat, not ours), so we stuck out our sea anchor for a four-hour maintenance slot.

"Back to the bottom. I find myself sat on the edge of the boat looking down into the abyss and thinking about Bruce from Finding Nemo... 'fish are friends, not food'.

"As I lower myself into the water I am thinking the last time I had fish was two hours ago when I had tuna with my brown biscuit, but never mind, I am in the water.

"The anti-foul paint below the waterline has held up well and the only barnacles lay just about the water line and on the rudder.

"A friendly fish followed me along eating the barnacles as they came away from the boat.

"At one point I came up for air, put my head back down and found I was nose to nose with him, apparently I was slacking.

"The opportunity was taken to have a quick wash before climbing back aboard. The good news, no Bruce."

Her knees gave out on the second week of rowing but have made good progress and in her latest email to her parents, Jo said: "My knees are slowly getting better.

"I'm now shaped like the letter 'y' as my arms are bulky from three weeks of arms only rowing.

"I am now using the slide and putting some work in, but not full pressure. It will come."

Over the past week, Mission Atlantic has moved up to 15th with less than 1,200 miles to go.

Brooks has faced up to an onboard disaster this week with the unfortunate damage to his guitar.

Dave said: "The worst possible thing happened today... I discovered that the bridge of my guitar had come unstuck due to the wood warping and it's now bust.

"Which means that I left La Gomera a bad guitar player and I will arrive in Antigua much the same!"

In common with other crews, Brooks has also bemoaned the inconsistent weather as the fleet passed through the unsettled period.

He added: "We have picked a rubbish year for ocean rowing. There are no trade winds in 2010!"

However, he continues to produce good daily mileages and was 20th as he passed the halfway mark.

Burbridge, aboard Ocean Summit with Rob Casserley, is 13th and by the end of the week will have less than 1,000 miles remaining.

The overall race leader, Charlie Pitcher aboard the revolutionary designed JJ (Insure & Go), has a 300-mile lead over the fleet and will be within 500 miles of Antigua by the weekend.