SECTOR NO LIMITS American Pearl

"I was thinking of rowing solo from the Canary Islands to Barbados. Barry Bingham, Jr. asked if I would ever consider rowing the West to East route across the Atlantic. I told him, I'm crazy, but I'm not THAT crazy. A few days later, an Italian company Sector Sport Watches offered to sponsor a solo row across the Atlantic, but only if I would do it the hard way.- West to East. "

-- Tori Murden

I never imagined I'd wake up one morning to find myself a "Sector Athlete." In the world of adventure and exploration, it doesn't get any better than Sector. Their philosophy is based on "No Limits." In short, Sector sponsors legends. While I can subscribe to the notion that limits are for the fainthearted, the feeble-minded or those lacking in spirit, Sector athletes form the pinnacle of those who push heart, mind, and soul to the far edges of the possible. Whether I will find my own place on this summit remains to be seen.

As I said to Gerard D'Aboville (a Sector legend who rowed solo across the Pacific), I am the acorn that hopes to become the oak. I am the caterpillar, who wants to fly. In attempting to reach beyond limitations whether intellectual or physical, I have never failed to be enriched. If I succeed in rowing solo, the wrong way, across the Atlantic, imagine how much more I'll be able to accomplish when I return to my desk.

The route will be West to East across the Atlantic from North Carolina to France. Estimated distance is 3500 miles, but that is only if I go straight. Two things will deter me from taking the most direct route. First, I will attempt to follow the Gulf Stream. This current does not follow a straight line between North Carolina France. This would be too convenient. Second, I'm a tough bird, but I will not be rowing 24 hours a day. When I'm not rowing, the boat will drift.

More people have walked on the moon than have soloed the North Atlantic in a rowboat. The moon is more attractive. Only five people have succeeded in the crossing. All were men: two were French, three were British. Only Gerard D'Aboville and Joseph LeGuen, both from France, went from continent to continent. No American has done it. No woman has done it.

I hope to make the crossing in 100 days. The plan is to row a set schedule averaging ten hours of rowing per day. Hello, butt blisters.

Freeze-dried food, energy bars and nutritional supplements equaling 45005000 calories for 120 days,

Two global positioning system units. I may take my old sextant just to amuse myself. I &ink I remember how it works.

I will take a minimum of clothing. Fashion princesses don't row across oceans. Rule of thumb: one to wear; one to dry out. The exception to the rule is my feet. I'm very fussy about my feet and will take a few extra pairs socks.

Everyone wants to know. The system is "bucket and chuck it." There's no room for a powder room. So, get over it.

Contact:

Imnarsat Mini-M Gyroscopic Telephone with E-mail link. Back-up unit to be decided. Two Argos Tracking Beacons will broadcast my position. Power will be limited to solar panels and a twelve volt battery. There will be days when there is not enough power to make a phone call or to read the mail.

A one burner gas stove with spare parts with a back-up stove in the emergency gear. There will be no cappuccino or fresh fruit until I reach France.

One main desalinating water-maker that is electric and will run off the solar panels. The back up unit is a hand-pump. If summer on the Atlantic is like spring in Louisville, Kentucky I'll be hand-pumping and begging the sky for sunshine.

Unless I am extremely lucky, my boat will capsize at least once and more likely four or five times. In the event of capsize, the boat is designed to be self-righting.

The boat will be equipped with a Pains-Wessex "Ocean Sentry" radar target enhancer. This unit will scan for ship's radar. If it senses radar it will sound an alarm (that will wake me if I am sleeping), and it will return a signal that will amplify the size of my vessel on the passing ship's radar screen. The enhanced radar target will make my 23 foot boat look like a large freighter.

I could signal a problem by telephone, by radio, or through each of the two Argos tracking beacons.

The boat is equipped with w 406 megahertz EPIRB. In a life threatening situation, I would engage the EPIRB to request immediate assistance. Use of the EPIRB would be a last resort. Once triggered the EPIRB sets into motion multinational forces dedicated to ocean rescue. The EPIRB would signal that the row is over. There would be no going back. In all likelihood, use of the EPRIB would result in the loss of my vessel and most of my equipment.

"Pearls in themselves are things of mystery and adventure; if you follow the career of a single pearl it will give you material for a hundred tales. " -- Isak Dinesen