FOR anyone who has thought it looks "a bit choppy" to get on the ferry the ambitions of a woman from Chester might make them feel a bit green.

For more than two months - including Christmas and her birthday - Rachel Smith will be taking part in a gruelling race across the Atlantic.

During the race she and friend Lin Griesel will experience extremes of blistering heat and waves as big as houses, while having to dodge large tankers in their 24 ft boat.

Rachel, 36, and Lin, 40, who became friends while taking part in dragon boat racing in Liverpool, will set off from the Canary Island of La Gomera.

The pair will be attempting to break the current British women's record for rowing across the Atlantic during the 2,935-mile Atlantic Rowing Race.

The current record is 71 days, 22 hours and 24 mins, set in 2006 by Becky Thorpe and Steph Temperton racing across to Antigua. The aim is to raise £100,000 for breast cancer research, a charity both women feel strongly about after each losing relatives to the disease.

Miss Smith, a marketing manager for the Royal Bank of Scotland Corporate, said: "Most people ask about the physical side, about the training, but having talked to a lot of other rowers that is only a small part of it.

"Things like deciding what food you are going to take, learning about navigation, and the mental preparation are at least as important. It is scary. But as you complete each new bit of training it's something you can tick off the list and it makes you feel more confident."

The pair will also be copying Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell and television presenter Ben Fogle who took part in the Atlantic race last year and rowed - at least part of the way - naked.

Rachel Smith admitted people had been interested to know if they would be taking their clothes off - and why.

She said: "It's recommended that you do row naked for health and hygiene reasons. If you get salt water on your clothes it can rub quite badly - that's the real reason people row naked.

"But we're not starting off with no clothes on, and sometimes the sun will be so strong you have to cover yourself up because of the dangers of being burnt."

She said for safety reasons they had decided to make their attempt as part of an organised race over a known route, even though it put their costs up considerably.

In fact, it is the sponsorship side of the attempt, due to start in November 2007, the pair find most worrying.

Miss Smith said: "It's something we have never done very much of. We have donations from individuals who can have their name put on the boat.

"Naturally those close to us will be worried, although hopefully we'll have email and the satellite phone. But you don't always realise the impact decisions you make on other people. Lin has a boy of 12 who she has had to explain this to."

The attempt will cost them around £50,000 and at the moment they are looking for the boat they will use.

The rules of the race mean over the coming year they will have to complete extensive training from navigation to first aid.

For more details about the challenge, see the website www. atlanticrowingchallenge.co.uk, which has a link for online donations, and to Rachel Smith and Lin Griesel's blog detailing their preparations.

liammurphy@dailypost.co.uk