A historic journey

While thousands of experts said it was impossible, but after surviving 7,000 miles of open ocean the Brown brothers, Ralph and Robert, stepped off their tiny open fishing boat at 6:40 pm, London Time, on September 4, 2009.

The brothers docked at the Limehouse Marina in downtown London making world history by setting several world records, as the smallest powerboat to cross the Atlantic, the first flats boat to cross the Atlantic, and the longest ocean voyage in a flats boat.

The tiny open fishing boat, an Intruder made by Dream Boats in Hudson Florida, separates itself from other smaller boats that have made the crossing because it does not have a cabin, a keel, a sail, or an escort and it had to carry its own fuel. This boat literally runs in less than an incredible four inches of water, including the motor.

The Brown brothers remained completely exposed to the elements for the entire voyage and did not have a keel to right the boat in the event it were to flip. Ralph and Robert survived being run over by an iceberg in Greenland, almost running of fuel hundreds of miles from shore, refusing to be rescued three separate times, surviving massive waves from the remnants of two hurricanes, being slammed into rocks by gale force 12 winds, running out of money and many other amazing events.

Although the boat retained it's seaworthiness the attached equipment has literally fallen apart from the impact of an estimated 140,000 slams during the crossing.

Ralph and Robert Brown left Tampa Bay, Florida on June 27, 2009. They were embarking on a 6,000 mile journey that would take them up along the east coast of America and Canada and onto Greenland, Iceland, Great Britain, France and finally Germany.

The brothers spent the night of Monday, July 27 at the Experience Labrador building in Cartwright to restock on food and fuel.

It took Ralph and Robert 30 days to sail from Tampa Bay to Cartwright, but Ralph said, "That includes quite a bit of time trying to accomplish things other than move the boat."

"We stayed overnight in Charleston, South Carolina and then we stayed in New York City for a couple of days. We stayed in Boston for a couple of days but other than that we've been travelling pretty much consistently," Ralph said.

The journey is called the 'I Am Second Wounded Hero Voyage' and the brothers are trying to raise $3,000,000 for various wounded warrior organizations throughout America, Canada and Great Britain.

Ralph said this journey has been a 29-year promise.

"29 years ago I was told I was going to Iran. I didn't go. Another group of guys went and they died: John Harvey, George Holmes and Dewey Johnson."

"The purpose of the trip is to use the publicity to do more than just say thanks to the wounded hero and the family left behind," said Ralph.

"Our goal is to raise $3,000,000 for foundations in the United States, Canada and Great Britain, in honour of Sergeant John Harvey, Corporal George Holmes and Staff Sergeant Dewey Johnson."

Ralph said, "It's about a mission. A soldier's not brave, they're just committed to their mission."

When a loved one dies, there is always emotional trauma but life insurance tends to cover most financial expenses, said Ralph. The brothers want to raise money for wounded warrior organizations because being wounded affects your whole life emotionally and financially.

"There are organizations that help to pay for that. Our goal is to sell enough shirts to donate $3,000,000 to organizations that help pay for that, and to help draw a lot of attention to it. That's what our goal is."

Ralph said, "We're a couple of crazy guys, and yes we are scared. Yes, we're very scared. But every soldier going into combat is scared too. And this is what this is in honour of: wounded soldiers; wounded heroes.

"Every police officer that goes into a gun fight is scared. Every fireman who runs into a burning building when everyone else is running out: they're scared. This is what this is in honour of: heroes."

Details of the Brown brother's journey can be seen at www.crosstheatlantic.com.