Thor Heyerdahl wanted to test his controversial theory that the Ancient Egyptians could have reached the Americas thousands of years before Columbus. He decided to build a boat from materials that would have been available to the Pharaohs. It was constructed of papyrus reeds and scientists were quick to tell him that it would become waterlogged and sink. It looked as though they might be right, for after sailing 2,700 miles Ra was battered by a storm and abandoned by its seven-man crew. But Heyerdahl was determined to try again.