In 1996, Jo Le Guen went on tour to tell the story of his 1995 crossing in 90 prisons, remand and detention centres scattered throughout France. The inmates were very understanding about the amount of effort involved in rowing a long distance. An analogy was was drawn between the fortitude required by a rower, and that needed to sustain someone in prison.

It was these contacts, and discussions that led Jo to suggest to both the inmates an the Penal Administration the setting up of joint project involving a rowed ocean crossing.

The 12th of October 1997 was set as the start date for the first Canaries to the Antilles two person transatlantic rowing race.

The pieces of the jigsaw started to come together.

Jo Le Guen suggested to the Administration that the boat could be built in a Penal establishment, and that the ocean crossing could be made, if he could find one who wanted to volunteer, with a newly released prisoner.