A group of elderly adventurers with no sailing experience have set off to cross the Atlantic - on a raft!!!!

Elderly Crossing - that's the tongue in cheek title 84-year-old Anthony Smith has given his Atlantic raft adventure. Balloonist, travel writer and one-time TV presenter Smith set off last weekend from the island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands for the Bahamas on this raft made from recycled items. The hull of An-Tiki consists of four huge PVC water pipes.

Smith told the Press  "I never been on a sailing boat before in my life - except for one little trip in a three-masted brig - so I really haven't a clue."

He is sailing with friends Don Russell, 61, David Hildred, 57, and Andrew Bainbridge, 57. Since Smith has no sailing experience he enlisted the help of a project manager who used to work for Sir Chay Blyth's Challenge Business to help design and supervise the building.

In what some would call an act of total stupidity they have left without doing any sea trials. Various people have expressed concerns about the vessel's ultimate stability.

"The raft was towed out to sea by a local whale watching boat." said  "She was three miles off Valle Gran Rey [La Gomera] before the wind kicked in, and at this point the warps were cast off and the crew of four had their very first taste of rafting."

We'll keep you posted....