Fla. brothers succeed in crossing Atlantic

Two Florida brothers have succeeded in crossing the Atlantic in a tiny fishing boat, setting several world records on the way.

Ralph Brown, 50, of Spring Hill, and Robert Brown, 51, of Merritt Island, stepped off the Intruder at 6:40 p.m. London time Friday. They left the dock at downtown Tampa's Marriott Waterside on June 27.

"We feel fine. I have a cracked rib or so, Robert has some skin damage, but overall we're in great spirits," Ralph Brown said via satellite phone from a London restaurant. "There were times we were afraid for our lives, but we never thought for once we wouldn't make it."

With the crossing complete, they now own the records for the smallest powerboat to cross the Atlantic, the first flats boat to cross the Atlantic, and the longest ocean voyage in a flats boat.

Scrapping a stop in Paris, they will head to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany on Monday.

Along their journey, the brothers have survived being hit by an iceberg and massive waves from the remnants of hurricanes. They've seen glaciers, seals and even whales. They even mailed President Barack Obama a post card from Greenland.

Alas, "no mermaids," Brown said.

They refused assistance and tows so not to jeopardize the record. Although the boat is in one piece, there are damages. The T-top is falling apart, the hydraulic pump busted in two, the brackets holding the spare motor broke several times, and they've had wire issues.

Still, they "feel safe in the boat," Brown said.

The Browns undertook the voyage to honor Ralph's former Marine comrades who died in 1980 in a botched mission called Operation Eagle Claw, in which several branches of the military attempted to liberate the American Embassy in Iran after terrorists took the ambassador and his staff hostage.

They are hoping to raise money for several charities, including Special Operations Wounded Warrior Foundations, Disabled American Veterans, the Wounded Warrior Project and Britain's Help for Heroes.

"Message is real simple, we should do more. Everybody should," Ralph said. "We want to write a check for $3 million."

Reporter Sarah Hoye can be reached at (813) 259-7832.