Several other sailors were interested. Bill King, a former Royal Navy submarine commander, built a junk-rigged schooner, "Galway Blazer II", designed for heavy conditions. He was able to secure sponsorship from the "Express" newspapers. John Ridgway and Chay Blyth, a British Army captain and sergeant, had rowed a boat across the Atlantic Ocean in 1966. They independently decided to attempt the non-stop sail, but despite their rowing achievement were hampered by a lack of sailing experience. They both made arrangements to get boats, but ended up with entirely unsuitable vessels, boats designed for cruising protected waters and too lightly built for Southern Ocean conditions. Ridgway managed to secure sponsorship from "The People" newspaper.