Man Hopes To Sail Viking Ship Made Out Of Popsicle Sticks Across Atlantic

[matcom]

<snip>

AMSTERDAM: A replica Viking ship made of 15 million ice cream sticks is to be launched in Amsterdam by a former Hollywood stuntman who hopes eventually to sail it across the Atlantic.


The 15-metre ship, which took Robert McDonald two years to build, is to be launched in Amsterdam harbour with a crew of around 25 in a bid to set a world record for the largest sailing ship made of ice cream sticks.

The Viking longship, equipped with oars and a mast, is built with sticks of birch-wood glued together painstakingly by McDonald and two volunteers in a Dutch workshop. It is to be put through its paces for around 90 minutes today.

"It's a dream come true. It's truly worth all the hard work," McDonald said.

"I never want to look at glue again. I don't think I will be in a hurry to look at ice cream sticks again," said the 45-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida.

The ice cream sticks used to make the ship were provided by Unilever's ice cream maker OLA and by children who collected discarded sticks around the world.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3379491a4560,00.html

[cleofus1]

1. i foresee a great tradgedy in his future

verily...

[Clintmax]

2. So do I...

I just hope it goes down while it's going thru its "paces" before anyone gets seriously hurt or worse.

[GOPisEvil]

3. I hope he gets Hagar and Lucky Eddie to help him sail it.

:think:

[seemunkee]

4. Epoxy works wonders

I have a sail canoe that is basically built of veneer glued with epoxy. Lots of boats are built that way.

[Fenris]

5. "The Saga of Robert the Daft"

:D

[Shell Beau]

6. Some people have WAY too much time on their hands!

[eyepaddle]

7. I hope he launches it with a VikingQuest cry

VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

:donut:

[KDLarsen]

8. What the...

At least my local replica viking shipyard have a better chance, when they sail their latest replica from Roskilde to Dublin.

[Richardo]

9. The most important question of all: Does he have the hat?