thedrifter
07-03-09, 09:04 AM
Space Coast brothers will spend six weeks at sea to support veterans
By Tammy Roberts
Roberts@hometownnewsol.com
Two devoted husbands and fathers: check.
One 21-foot custom flats boat: check.
Hundreds of nationwide supporters: check.
A 48-day, 6,200-mile voyage from Tampa to Frankfurt, Germany: well, that's the plan.
While even the most experienced boat captain would be hesitant to complete this journey, Brevard County natives Ralph, 50, and Robert Brown, 52, are well on their way through the Atlantic, with a number of goals keeping them afloat.
One is to test out (really test out) the stability of the "Intruder," a prototype boat built by Ralph's boating company, Dream Boats Inc.
Another is to set a second world record. The duo made it into the "Guinness Book of World Records" in 2007 after completing a five-day, 1,400-mile trip from North Carolina to Bermuda aboard the very same vessel.
But the third and most important goal of the Brown brothers is to garner support and funds for seven wounded veterans' organizations. At the same time, the trip will honor three fallen U.S. Marines, who died during a 1980 operation to rescue American hostages in Iran, which Ralph, a former Marine, has labeled a "suicide mission."
"The day after I learned of this mission, I made a solemn promise to myself that those three Marines who died that day would not be forgotten," Ralph said. "We're doing all of this in their name: Sgt. John Harvey, Cpl. George Holmes and Staff Sgt. Dewey Johnson."
Both graduates of Cocoa Beach Junior-Senior High School, the Browns are calling their voyage the "I am Second - Cross the Atlantic - Wounded Hero Voyage," and their primary method of raising money is by selling 150,000 T-shirts, which support their cause, at $30 each. Funds are also being raised through company sponsorships, such as Interstate Battery.
Robert, a Merritt Island resident, is also donating 10 percent of the profits from his book, "The Bermuda Suicide Challenge," to the cause.
"We're only just now getting started," said Ralph, who lives in Spring Hill. "We've got a long way to go."
On June 27, the Intruder set sail from Downtown Tampa, making stops in Fort Meyers, the Florida Keys, Miami and two Brevard locations on July 1: Sebastian Inlet and Port Canaveral.
From there, the Browns traveled north to Jacksonville, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, Boston and Canada.
Next, the plan is to make two stops in Greenland, one in Iceland, London, Paris and finally Frankfurt, Germany, where their boat will be shipped back home.
The duo has its share of fears, but Ralph said rough weather conditions isn't one of them.
"Once you've been through heavy seas in the past, you know what to do," said Ralph, who literally knows his boat inside and out. "We took her apart and rebuilt her from scratch following the last trip. We know what she can do."
But the brothers did not go into the trip ill-prepared, either.
Aside from the necessary life jackets and safety equipment, they brought two satellite phones, three electronic beacon systems, Mustang Survivor Suits, Xterra wet suits, an emergency raft, flip poles, two GPS systems, a tracking transponder, four fire extinguishers, two sea anchors and an extra 10 gallons of water.
The Intruder has no cabin, but does have a T-top and runs with a Suzuki 115 four-stroke engine and can carry about 347 gallons of fuel.
The guys trade off driving and sleeping in three-hour shifts by lying on either the console seat or across the transom, covered by a tarp.
As for food, the Browns plan to eat a lot of fresh fish. They brought along a 12-volt grill and 12-volt Crock Pot, as well as soup, granola bars and canned fruit.
Both happily married, Robert has two teenagers and Ralph has three.
"Most teens are embarrassed of their dads no matter what," Ralph said. "You can imagine the level of embarrassment my kids feel with people thinking their father is nuts. It's off the charts."
As for their wives, the Browns said their support for the trip, that most would call "extreme," varies from day to day.
"Define the word 'support,'" Ralph joked. "Before we left, one day they'd be calling us crazy, the next they'd be helping us pack. But overall, they understand why we're doing this. It's just another chapter in our lives."
For information about the voyage, to track the Intruder or to purchase a T-shirt, visit www.crosstheatlantic.com.
For information about Dream Boats, visit www.dreamboats.net.
Ellie
By Tammy Roberts
Roberts@hometownnewsol.com
Two devoted husbands and fathers: check.
One 21-foot custom flats boat: check.
Hundreds of nationwide supporters: check.
A 48-day, 6,200-mile voyage from Tampa to Frankfurt, Germany: well, that's the plan.
While even the most experienced boat captain would be hesitant to complete this journey, Brevard County natives Ralph, 50, and Robert Brown, 52, are well on their way through the Atlantic, with a number of goals keeping them afloat.
One is to test out (really test out) the stability of the "Intruder," a prototype boat built by Ralph's boating company, Dream Boats Inc.
Another is to set a second world record. The duo made it into the "Guinness Book of World Records" in 2007 after completing a five-day, 1,400-mile trip from North Carolina to Bermuda aboard the very same vessel.
But the third and most important goal of the Brown brothers is to garner support and funds for seven wounded veterans' organizations. At the same time, the trip will honor three fallen U.S. Marines, who died during a 1980 operation to rescue American hostages in Iran, which Ralph, a former Marine, has labeled a "suicide mission."
"The day after I learned of this mission, I made a solemn promise to myself that those three Marines who died that day would not be forgotten," Ralph said. "We're doing all of this in their name: Sgt. John Harvey, Cpl. George Holmes and Staff Sgt. Dewey Johnson."
Both graduates of Cocoa Beach Junior-Senior High School, the Browns are calling their voyage the "I am Second - Cross the Atlantic - Wounded Hero Voyage," and their primary method of raising money is by selling 150,000 T-shirts, which support their cause, at $30 each. Funds are also being raised through company sponsorships, such as Interstate Battery.
Robert, a Merritt Island resident, is also donating 10 percent of the profits from his book, "The Bermuda Suicide Challenge," to the cause.
"We're only just now getting started," said Ralph, who lives in Spring Hill. "We've got a long way to go."
On June 27, the Intruder set sail from Downtown Tampa, making stops in Fort Meyers, the Florida Keys, Miami and two Brevard locations on July 1: Sebastian Inlet and Port Canaveral.
From there, the Browns traveled north to Jacksonville, South Carolina, Virginia, New York, Boston and Canada.
Next, the plan is to make two stops in Greenland, one in Iceland, London, Paris and finally Frankfurt, Germany, where their boat will be shipped back home.
The duo has its share of fears, but Ralph said rough weather conditions isn't one of them.
"Once you've been through heavy seas in the past, you know what to do," said Ralph, who literally knows his boat inside and out. "We took her apart and rebuilt her from scratch following the last trip. We know what she can do."
But the brothers did not go into the trip ill-prepared, either.
Aside from the necessary life jackets and safety equipment, they brought two satellite phones, three electronic beacon systems, Mustang Survivor Suits, Xterra wet suits, an emergency raft, flip poles, two GPS systems, a tracking transponder, four fire extinguishers, two sea anchors and an extra 10 gallons of water.
The Intruder has no cabin, but does have a T-top and runs with a Suzuki 115 four-stroke engine and can carry about 347 gallons of fuel.
The guys trade off driving and sleeping in three-hour shifts by lying on either the console seat or across the transom, covered by a tarp.
As for food, the Browns plan to eat a lot of fresh fish. They brought along a 12-volt grill and 12-volt Crock Pot, as well as soup, granola bars and canned fruit.
Both happily married, Robert has two teenagers and Ralph has three.
"Most teens are embarrassed of their dads no matter what," Ralph said. "You can imagine the level of embarrassment my kids feel with people thinking their father is nuts. It's off the charts."
As for their wives, the Browns said their support for the trip, that most would call "extreme," varies from day to day.
"Define the word 'support,'" Ralph joked. "Before we left, one day they'd be calling us crazy, the next they'd be helping us pack. But overall, they understand why we're doing this. It's just another chapter in our lives."
For information about the voyage, to track the Intruder or to purchase a T-shirt, visit www.crosstheatlantic.com.
For information about Dream Boats, visit www.dreamboats.net.
Ellie