ROBERT Munslow is a man with an obsession to row across one of the world's great oceans and he will try again this year as he bids to beat the terrors of the deep and paddle 3,200 miles from Western Australia to Madagascar.

He will attempt to cross the Indian ocean with Simon Chalk in May.

Robert, 24, who lives in Monmouth, has devoted his life to attempting an ocean crossing.

"I can't settle to anything else until I have achieved my ambition to row across one of the world's great oceans. It has been an obsession since childhood," he told the Review.

Last year he and a crew of three rowed 1,200 miles across the Atlantic only to be thwarted by a broken rudder 21 days into the attempt.

Now he has teamed up with Simon Chalk to attempt to row across the Indian Ocean.

"It's a much different proposition. By comparison it is a much more isolated ocean with very little shipping and a lot more wildlife such as whales and sharks," he said.

"While many people have succeeded in rowing the Atlantic there have only even been two previous attempts to cross the Indian Ocean. The existing world record was set in 1971.

An attempt by Simon last May ended in disaster when his boat was struck by an unknown object and capsized. Simon and his partner spent 15 hours clinging to the upturned hull waiting to be rescued.

"I have probably sacrificed everything to row an ocean, but I have got to get it out of my system," said Robert.

"The main object is to get across safely – we have a self-righting boat and very sophisticated navigational equipment with on-board computers powered by solar panels. The computers even steer the boat," he said.

The aim is to complete the crossing in 64 days.

That would give the pair a string of records including achieving the first ever double-handed row across the ocean; the first Britons to row across the ocean; the youngest crew to complete the trip, as well as the fastest row.

"The biggest test is sleep deprivation. We will row in two hours shifts day and night and we will be lucky to get more than four or five hours sleep in any 24 hour period. It is very demanding," he said.

Robert, son of Chris and Dorothy Munslow, has been working almost non-stop on preparations for the trip.

There was not even time to welcome in the New Year. While others were celebrating Robert was working on the boat and the job he was undertaking was not completed until 2am.