New documentary tells the story of world record breaking Scottish brothers

A new documentary - now live on STV Player - tells the story of the Maclean Brothers and their self-confessed “piss poor” preparations the ocean adventure that lay ahead.

Article Source: Issued on behalf of The Maclean Brothers by Story Shop
Last Updated: 8 May 2025 11:47

Now seasoned ocean rowers with world records under their belts, the Maclean Brothers are currently on day 22 of their extraordinary 9,000-mile row across the Pacific Ocean.

But back in 2019, when they set out to cross the 3,000-mile Atlantic in a 28-foot boat, the Edinburgh trio had no rowing experience.

A new documentary - now live on STV Player - tells the story of adventure, family, positivity and their self-confessed “piss poor” preparations for the ocean adventure that lay ahead.

Out of Our Depth: Three Brothers in a Boat, the debut feature film by Glasgow-based production company Lost Clock Productions, veers between seasickness and slapstick as the brothers candidly recount their chaotic build-up - including almost forgetting to pack toilet roll until minutes before pushing off for over a month at sea.

Speaking from the middle of the Pacific, 33-year-old Ewan Maclean, the eldest brother, said: “It was all completely new to us. You know what it’s like - you have an idea and you just get carried away. We were working, studying, juggling other things.

“It was eye-opening watching the documentary and realising how much we’ve changed. Our preparations really were piss poor. In many ways, watching it was a wake up call. If we’re going to row an ocean three times as long as the Atlantic, we couldn’t go into it half-cocked.

“We’re so grateful to Lost Clock. They’ve told our story - and continue to tell our story - in the most incredible way. Before we left, we watched it with our family and friends. There was everything from roaring laughter to genuine tears.”

During their Atlantic crossing, the Maclean brothers broke three world records: they became the first trio of brothers to row any ocean, and the fastest and youngest trio to row the Atlantic.

Their maiden voyage raised over £200,000 for charities Feedback Madagascar and Children 1st.

The Rare Whisky 101 Pacific Row, which began last month, has even greater ambition. The brothers are aiming to raise £1 million for the Maclean Foundation, the clean water charity they conceived during long days at sea.

Jamie Maclean, 31, said: “I don’t think people ever experience the clarity of thought you get at sea in normal life. It changed the direction of our lives. We thought it would be a one-off adventure, but it made us re-evaluate our purpose. We realised we wanted to do something together and make a real impact.

"Everything we’re doing now is in service of providing clean water to communities living in poverty - especially in Madagascar, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change.”

The brothers have received extensive training in content capture for their Pacific row which are being edited and released on YouTube as mini-documentaries while the brothers are at sea.

Director Graham Robertson of Lost Clock said: “The Maclean boys have occupied more of the last five years of my life than I care to reveal. But I’m glad the boys trust us to tell their story."

“It’s rare to meet a group of guys who are so willing to jump headfirst into a crazy challenge, all while wearing their hearts on their sleeves and never taking themselves too seriously. I think that makes them the ideal documentary subjects."

“This film is about much more than a row. It’s about family, perseverance, perspective - and, yes, the struggle of going to the toilet on top of a 30-foot wave.”

The documentary also features interviews with the brothers’ friends and family, including their mother, Sheila, an artist who moved to Antigua after visiting them at the Atlantic finish line. The film captures her emotional struggle as she wrestles with the reality of her three sons floating in a tiny boat in the middle of the ocean.

Youngest brother Lachlan (26) added: “It was emotional watching the documentary with Mum. It made us really think about how our choices affect others. We’ve always been close as a family, but this brought us even closer.

“It’s a strange feeling seeing your life played back to you. There were definitely embarrassing moments, but we couldn’t have imagined it would turn out the way it did.

“We’ve got a laptop with us, so we’re going to re-watch it today. It’s the one bit of TV we’re letting ourselves watch for 100+ days. That probably sounds egotistical to be watching ourselves - but honestly, it’ll be emotional and it’s a great way to see our family while we’re thousands of miles away. Importantly there’s only one episode, which means no risk of a binge-watch derailing the row.”

Richard Williams, Managing Director of Digital at STV, added: "The Maclean brothers are a truly inspirational group of Scots and their story of perseverance in the face of adversity is one that I know STV Player viewers will be totally gripped by. Giving a platform to homegrown stories like this is important to us, and every incredible twist and turn of the trio's heroic charity row is streaming now for free.”

Out of Our Depth: Three Brothers in a Boat is streaming now on STV Player.

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