we left ft. meyers into a storm. the seas were only about 4 to 6 ft we got some terrific video as soon as we can we will get it up on the site.
arriving today in the keys. comminig across florida bay i was real glad to have a flats boat. there are some very shallow spots.
we got some badly needed sleep today and it is off to miami.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Bon Voyage
Yesterday, we ran out of time as it was getting closer to the time to go. As you may know we completely took that boat apart and rebuilt it in a week. So as the time came to an end we just threw everything in the boat so that we could make it to the Bon Voyage Rally on time.
We left a few items by accident including our compass. We were heading out of the bay and I was still wireing up the lights. Jason, a wonderful hero, who was blown up in Iraq rode with us.
When we got out to sea, we discovered the I did not like the new GPS system we had. Can you believe it did not have a Compass Page.
We still made it way ahead of schedule. Thanks to Jason, he drove most of the way.
I am sitting in the Pineland Marina on Pine Island, using his computer. This guy was unbelievable. He would not let me pay for the gas. He bought a whole case of shirts, and loaded us up with supplies.
Wonderful, wonderful, people.
We are getting ready to take off, both of us are dead tired, yet we have swindled another person to come and drive. Cool. He will soon learn that this is a rugged ride. Yet, still a safe ride.
It has been a great day and we will be in Islamorada tomorrow morning at the Bass Pro Shop. See you there.
Ralph
We left a few items by accident including our compass. We were heading out of the bay and I was still wireing up the lights. Jason, a wonderful hero, who was blown up in Iraq rode with us.
When we got out to sea, we discovered the I did not like the new GPS system we had. Can you believe it did not have a Compass Page.
We still made it way ahead of schedule. Thanks to Jason, he drove most of the way.
I am sitting in the Pineland Marina on Pine Island, using his computer. This guy was unbelievable. He would not let me pay for the gas. He bought a whole case of shirts, and loaded us up with supplies.
Wonderful, wonderful, people.
We are getting ready to take off, both of us are dead tired, yet we have swindled another person to come and drive. Cool. He will soon learn that this is a rugged ride. Yet, still a safe ride.
It has been a great day and we will be in Islamorada tomorrow morning at the Bass Pro Shop. See you there.
Ralph
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Wow what a change
The boat is back together. The amount of work done today is unbelievable. We put it all back together except some incidentals. We still have to do some wireing but it is pretty much all done. It of course is almost 1 am and we will be back in the shop around six or seven.
We hope you will make time to come out and see the voyage.
We depart from Tampa tomorrow, no, I gues it is today at 5 pm from the Marriott Waterside.
Bring a boat, or come any way you can to show your support for the guys and girls who risk it all for us on a daly basis.
Ralph
We hope you will make time to come out and see the voyage.
We depart from Tampa tomorrow, no, I gues it is today at 5 pm from the Marriott Waterside.
Bring a boat, or come any way you can to show your support for the guys and girls who risk it all for us on a daly basis.
Ralph
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
New Deck is in
The boat we took to Bermuda was made possible by Pete Rostel of Rostel Construction. He bought my prototype and actually loaned it back to us. We made arrangements to buy it back.
Since he bought our prototype we upgraded a couple of things.
One, we raised the deck two inches
Two, we make the deck a little stronger.
Three, we added rod lockers.
In the last couple of days we upgraded Petes boat to our current standards, except the rod lockers. We ripped out the old deck and put in the new one. We realized that if you drop an aluminum 70 gallon fuel tank in the same place several thousand times it would weaken our old deck, so we changed the deck to something stronger. We will let you know, when we get back how good our new style deck holds up. I bet it does just fine.
I know no one beats up their boat like I beat up boats, but that is the beauty of it. If it holds up for six thousand miles through storms, icebergs, reefs, and overloads it ought to be safe to cross the bay under normal load conditions.
We finished the deck yesterday and put in the console. We put the new Suzuki 115 and the Suzuki 9.9 Emergency kicker on today.
We are getting closer and closer. See you Saturday, July 27 at 5 pm behind the Tampa Waterside Marriott next to the conference center.
Since he bought our prototype we upgraded a couple of things.
One, we raised the deck two inches
Two, we make the deck a little stronger.
Three, we added rod lockers.
In the last couple of days we upgraded Petes boat to our current standards, except the rod lockers. We ripped out the old deck and put in the new one. We realized that if you drop an aluminum 70 gallon fuel tank in the same place several thousand times it would weaken our old deck, so we changed the deck to something stronger. We will let you know, when we get back how good our new style deck holds up. I bet it does just fine.
I know no one beats up their boat like I beat up boats, but that is the beauty of it. If it holds up for six thousand miles through storms, icebergs, reefs, and overloads it ought to be safe to cross the bay under normal load conditions.
We finished the deck yesterday and put in the console. We put the new Suzuki 115 and the Suzuki 9.9 Emergency kicker on today.
We are getting closer and closer. See you Saturday, July 27 at 5 pm behind the Tampa Waterside Marriott next to the conference center.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Interstate Battery and I AM SECOND join the team.
I am very proud to say that Interstate Battery and I AM SECOND have joined our team. Interstate Battery is the largest battery company in the world. WOW, they joined our team. I AM SECOND is a program where people of all walks of life give GOD first positon.
I am so honored that they have chosen to join the Cross The Atlantic Team.
We now are calling the voyage the I AM SECOND Wounded Hero Voyage Crossing The Atlantic Presented by Interstate Battery and others.
Today, Tuesday, June 23, four days and counting we were visited by a photographer from Boating Magazine. CBS rescheduled for Tuesday.
We are still scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2009 behind the Marriott Waterside next to the convention center in downtown Tampa for the Bon Voyage, Do More than just say thanks Rally.
Be there at 5 PM.
Ralph
I am so honored that they have chosen to join the Cross The Atlantic Team.
We now are calling the voyage the I AM SECOND Wounded Hero Voyage Crossing The Atlantic Presented by Interstate Battery and others.
Today, Tuesday, June 23, four days and counting we were visited by a photographer from Boating Magazine. CBS rescheduled for Tuesday.
We are still scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2009 behind the Marriott Waterside next to the convention center in downtown Tampa for the Bon Voyage, Do More than just say thanks Rally.
Be there at 5 PM.
Ralph
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
US Congress Honors Cross The Atlantic
To my surprise I received the following email today. Wow
Cristin Datch (202-225-5755) from his office called to say you werehonored in the Congressional RecordBestBruce Schulmanhttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r111:1:./temp/~r111WbjCK5::
SPEECH OFHON. GUS M. BILIRAKISOF FLORIDAIN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESTUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2009Mr. BILIRAKIS.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor two of myconstituents, brothers Ralph and Robert Brown . Ralph and Robert will be attempting a 2nd Guinness World Record this summer by sailing non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean from Tampa, Florida to Hamburg, Germany to raise funds for Wounded Warrior Foundations.
In 2007, Ralph and Robert set their first Guinness World Record for the``longest nonstop ocean voyage in a flats boat'' traveling from North Carolina to Bermuda and back to New York in a 21-foot open fishing boat of their own design. This voyage garnered a great deal of publicity and convinced the brothers to use this notoriety to raise money for Wounded Warriors Organizations in the future.
Ralph and Robert will be using thepublicity from their second voyage to raise money for six Wounded Warriorand Disabled Veterans Organizations, having set a goal of $3 million.
In 1980, former Marine Ralph Brown was placed on the roster to liberatethe American Embassy in Iran during the hostage takeover. However, Ralph's group was replaced by another group of soldiers, out of which three US Marines were killed. Mr. Brown and his brother have since dedicated their lives to honoring the lives of these three Marines and their many other brave countrymen.
Madam Speaker, Ralph and Robert Brown truly are doing more than just saying ``thanks,'' by raising money and awareness for our nation's wounded warriors. And they are doing so in one of the most original manners possible.
Cristin Datch (202-225-5755) from his office called to say you werehonored in the Congressional RecordBestBruce Schulmanhttp://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r111:1:./temp/~r111WbjCK5::
SPEECH OFHON. GUS M. BILIRAKISOF FLORIDAIN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESTUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2009Mr. BILIRAKIS.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor two of myconstituents, brothers Ralph and Robert Brown . Ralph and Robert will be attempting a 2nd Guinness World Record this summer by sailing non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean from Tampa, Florida to Hamburg, Germany to raise funds for Wounded Warrior Foundations.
In 2007, Ralph and Robert set their first Guinness World Record for the``longest nonstop ocean voyage in a flats boat'' traveling from North Carolina to Bermuda and back to New York in a 21-foot open fishing boat of their own design. This voyage garnered a great deal of publicity and convinced the brothers to use this notoriety to raise money for Wounded Warriors Organizations in the future.
Ralph and Robert will be using thepublicity from their second voyage to raise money for six Wounded Warriorand Disabled Veterans Organizations, having set a goal of $3 million.
In 1980, former Marine Ralph Brown was placed on the roster to liberatethe American Embassy in Iran during the hostage takeover. However, Ralph's group was replaced by another group of soldiers, out of which three US Marines were killed. Mr. Brown and his brother have since dedicated their lives to honoring the lives of these three Marines and their many other brave countrymen.
Madam Speaker, Ralph and Robert Brown truly are doing more than just saying ``thanks,'' by raising money and awareness for our nation's wounded warriors. And they are doing so in one of the most original manners possible.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
31 Days and Counting
We are getting the boat ready. I made arrangements to permently acquire it from Pete Rostel. We want to use the same boat as last time.
We have been making arrangements with Interstate Battery as a potential primary sponsor. They are a good fit. Good people, quality products at a fair price and the owner Norm Miller wants to help people get closer to the Lord with their lives. Good Man.
We have been making arrangements with Interstate Battery as a potential primary sponsor. They are a good fit. Good people, quality products at a fair price and the owner Norm Miller wants to help people get closer to the Lord with their lives. Good Man.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
38 Days and counting
We are waiting to hear back from
Home Depot , Amway, Sears Canada, Red Lobster, O'Douls (Part of Anheuser Bush, I don't drink alcohol, but I love O'Douls), Interstate Battery, Red Bull, Boeing, Locheed Martin, L 3 Communications, and a host of other companies.
If you have a contact with a company that wants to help wounded soldiers, widows, and fatherless children as well as would like a couple of million dollars of advertisement at a super discount. (Actual Advertising Credits as well as being coupled to the voyage, let us know)
Home Depot , Amway, Sears Canada, Red Lobster, O'Douls (Part of Anheuser Bush, I don't drink alcohol, but I love O'Douls), Interstate Battery, Red Bull, Boeing, Locheed Martin, L 3 Communications, and a host of other companies.
If you have a contact with a company that wants to help wounded soldiers, widows, and fatherless children as well as would like a couple of million dollars of advertisement at a super discount. (Actual Advertising Credits as well as being coupled to the voyage, let us know)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Still waiting
Bob and I are still hoping to make this voyage. We have been promised funding by a very successful marketing and publishing guru. He is waiting on UBS to pay him some money that is due him.
What a story. We were planning to forget the trip if we could not leave by September 1, 2008, because of the weather. Now we figured out a way to handle the cold, and now we plan to go into some of the worst weather on the planet. The North Atlantic in the Fall. A huricane is one thing, but Ice Cold water and hugh waves is a total different plan.
We plan to use Motorcycle cold weather electric jacket liner, socks and gloves. We have been told the funding could be in this week. I hope so.
We hope to make a movie, maybe a cable TV series.
Lets see how it goes.
What a story. We were planning to forget the trip if we could not leave by September 1, 2008, because of the weather. Now we figured out a way to handle the cold, and now we plan to go into some of the worst weather on the planet. The North Atlantic in the Fall. A huricane is one thing, but Ice Cold water and hugh waves is a total different plan.
We plan to use Motorcycle cold weather electric jacket liner, socks and gloves. We have been told the funding could be in this week. I hope so.
We hope to make a movie, maybe a cable TV series.
Lets see how it goes.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Down to the wire
Today is Monday, July 21, 2008
We have not found any serious sponsors for the trip so far. I was very surprised when the company I have a $1,000,000 life insurance policy with turned me down without even a serious review. I will not mention their name.
Bob, had his first radio interview on Sunday, yesterday. They did a great job, you can listen to it on line at: http://americanvarietyradio.com/download.html If it is not there look for "Two Florida Brothers" on his old broadcasts.
We have put the trip off until August 18, 2008. I have been praying for a sponsor to come up. All my work seems to no avail. It doesn't make any sense to me. The amount of publicity a company would be guaranteed to get far exceeds the $125,000 we are looking for. If the unthinkable happens, the publicity would be double or triple. We even offered lead capture on the website for the sponsor. My guess is that they just don't believe us.
We did the last trip against an awful lot of disbelief. Lord willing if we find some funding we will do this one. I know it is difficult at this moment in time, but that is what God specializes in the humanly impossible. I have to admit, I am discouraged buy not giving up. I will keep working as hard as I can to find the funding, we will just have to trust God for the rest.
One particular billionaire, Beryl Wolk, has given me his word to fund the trip and to make a movie: S-O-S; Most Dangerous Voyage S-O-S is the international call for distress, "Save Our Ship". It also stands for Save Our Seas. His business manager, Sam, has told me that it will be at least 90 days before he can fund the movie. We are actually looking for a bridge loan.
We have not found any serious sponsors for the trip so far. I was very surprised when the company I have a $1,000,000 life insurance policy with turned me down without even a serious review. I will not mention their name.
Bob, had his first radio interview on Sunday, yesterday. They did a great job, you can listen to it on line at: http://americanvarietyradio.com/download.html If it is not there look for "Two Florida Brothers" on his old broadcasts.
We have put the trip off until August 18, 2008. I have been praying for a sponsor to come up. All my work seems to no avail. It doesn't make any sense to me. The amount of publicity a company would be guaranteed to get far exceeds the $125,000 we are looking for. If the unthinkable happens, the publicity would be double or triple. We even offered lead capture on the website for the sponsor. My guess is that they just don't believe us.
We did the last trip against an awful lot of disbelief. Lord willing if we find some funding we will do this one. I know it is difficult at this moment in time, but that is what God specializes in the humanly impossible. I have to admit, I am discouraged buy not giving up. I will keep working as hard as I can to find the funding, we will just have to trust God for the rest.
One particular billionaire, Beryl Wolk, has given me his word to fund the trip and to make a movie: S-O-S; Most Dangerous Voyage S-O-S is the international call for distress, "Save Our Ship". It also stands for Save Our Seas. His business manager, Sam, has told me that it will be at least 90 days before he can fund the movie. We are actually looking for a bridge loan.
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