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Post by Bruce on Aug 25, 2009 9:57:55 GMT 12
Obviously you need to make your own fun at Woodbourne...  from TVNZ: tvnz.co.nz/national-news/amphibious-van-attempt-cook-strait-2942538Two men, bored with Blenheim nightlife, have converted a Toyota Town Ace into an amphibious van, in which they hope to cross Cook Strait. Aeronautic machinists Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling, who have been training at RNZAF's Base Woodbourne since January, have spent $2500 on the van, which they have named Roofliss. "We needed a project to keep ourselves occupied here... instead of going to bars, we've been working on the vessel," Melling told The Marlborough Express. Polystyrene helps with buoyancy. The front wheels drive the van on land while the drive shaft to the rear runs the propeller. The van can do just a touch over five knots on the water, or nine kmh. It was not warrantable for the road but has already been trailed in Picton harbour. "Not many people have a van which floats. It's pretty cool to drive around Picton and have a laugh," Melling said. Advertisement The pair wanted to cross Cook Strait last week, and be the first to do so in such a vessel, but the weather was poor and maritime rules stopped their support boat exiting the Marlborough Sounds. They plan to try again in the next month. Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) spokesman Ross Henderson said he would expect MNZ to be informed before any attempt was made so it could inspect the vessel's seaworthiness and be assured safety risks were managed. |
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Post by corsair67 on Aug 25, 2009 10:59:36 GMT 12
They'd want to catch Cook's Strait on a calm day, I reckon.  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 25, 2009 12:52:13 GMT 12
They've been watching too much Top Gear by the sound of things.
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Post by beagle on Aug 25, 2009 16:35:44 GMT 12
where's the photos
on this subject, Dave "Ocker " Oakes ad I when we were flatting the infamous "Pub Pet Palace" near Woodbourne were thinking about taking our 10 ft tin turtle across the strait one day, have a beer at the Shelly Bay Sgts's mess at lunch then come back.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 6, 2009 18:20:44 GMT 12
They made it!!
3 News just showed them making the trip across the Straight to Mana in perfect weather. All went well, unlike the Top Gear versions. I note the report stated they were "aeronautic engineers" but no mention of them being in the RNZAF. Apparently now the van will be put onto TradeMe.
Well done to them.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 7, 2009 10:11:43 GMT 12
Great weather for it too! Welldoen to the amphib van team |
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Post by madaero on Sept 7, 2009 10:35:50 GMT 12
good old kiwi inginuity at its best. The van is supposibly going up for auction today on trademe. Whats the bet it surpasses the price that a particular person got for his "crazy washing machine" 2 months back? Great job guys,well done.
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Post by mumbles on Sept 7, 2009 12:19:44 GMT 12
Not sure how Kiwi ingenuity differs from any other kind, but this was pretty cool, and good on the guys involved for making a fun idea into reality. Has to be said though, I was bit disappointed when the guys were TV interviewed mid straight. They both had beers in hand, and no life jackets were visible, let alone being worn. Not a good look....  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 7, 2009 12:57:32 GMT 12
Not a good look, no, but not illegal at all, sadly. Life jackets need to be compulsory in my opinion, but then that hampers workers on fishing boats, etc so it will never happen. And drinking on a boat is fine so long as you're not going too excessively and then driving the boat I guess.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 7, 2009 19:06:40 GMT 12
Just watching a fuller piece on the crossing on Campbell Live right now. It's definately a great achievement.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Sept 7, 2009 19:33:34 GMT 12
A plan to cross Cook Strait in a vanBy BLAIR ENSOR - The Marlborough Express | 12 NOON - Monday, 24 August 2009  SEAWORTHY: Aeronautic machinists Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling have converted their van into an amphibious
vessel and plan to cross Cook Strait (left). | SIMPLE YET EFFECTIVE: From left; Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling
have welded all the van's doors shut, fitted steel panels inside, and used three 44 gallon drums of expanding
foam pumped into cracks and crevices to ensure the vessel is watertight and floats (right).
— CHRISTINE CORNEGE/The Marlborough Express.Boring Blenheim nightlife and Kiwi ingenuity have inspired the construction of an amphibious vehicle for only $2500.
Its proud owners hope to become the first to take a vessel of its kind across Cook Strait.
Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling, 23, aeronautic machinists from the North Island who have been training at Base Woodbourne since January, have modified a van so it can ride the high seas.
"We needed a project to keep ourselves occupied here ... instead of going to bars, we've been working on the vessel," said Mr Melling. "No-one has crossed Cook Strait in an amphibious vehicle before."
The master plan was motivated by an episode of popular British television series Top Gear.
"We started thinking about what vehicle was best.
"A four-wheel-drive van was optimum for its shape, weight distribution and length," said Mr Turnbull.
The pair found what they were looking for in a four-wheel-drive Toyota Town Ace in Kaiteriteri. They named the van Roofliss and it became the focus of their spare time.
The front wheels were left for motoring on land while the drive shaft was removed from the rear and used to run the propeller.
Polystyrene was fitted under the vehicle and at the bow to help with buoyancy.
The removal of rear suspension gave the prop shaft clearance over the differential, while chains at the front stopped the suspension dropping too low.
A four-way multi-plug powered by an old stereo amp will power a cellphone charger, a stereo, a microwave (to warm pies) and a fridge to cool beers.
The fuel tank, usually located under the van, had been moved to sit under the back seat for easy top-ups and protection from water.
Powered by a two-litre turbo-diesel engine, the van could do just a touch over five knots on the water and is nice and manoeuvrable, said Mr Melling.
It was not warrantable, "but on the road it will do anything a normal van will do, it will just be a very bumpy ride", he said.
The vessel has turned heads in Picton harbour during two recent trials and its longest stint on the water has been six hours, which included a trip from Picton to Waikawa.
"Not many people have a van which floats. It's pretty cool to drive around Picton and have a laugh," said Mr Melling.
The pair wanted to take the boat across Cook Strait last week, but the weather and maritime rules, which stopped their support boat exiting the Sounds, halted their efforts.
"Because it was a commercial boat it was only surveyed for the Sounds. It's legal for us to drive across, but not for him, which sounds a bit backwards," said Mr Turnbull. The pair returned to work in the North Island on Saturday, but hope to return to conquer Cook Strait in the next month.
Maritime New Zealand Ross Henderson said MNZ did not know of any other amphibious vehicles that had crossed Cook Strait.
He said he would expect MNZ to be informed before any attempt was made so it could inspect the vessel's seaworthiness and be assured safety risks were managed.www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/2781615/A-plan-to-cross-Cook-Strait-in-a-van
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Sept 7, 2009 19:33:57 GMT 12
A Sunday drive across the StraitBy NATHAN BEAUMONT - The Dominion Post | 5:00AM - Monday, 07 September 2009 ALMOST THERE: Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling in their converted
Toyota 4X4 van. — ROBERT KITCHIN/The Dominion Post.With pies heated in a microwave and Metallica blaring from their stereo, two North Island lads sustained themselves as they motored across Cook Strait in a van.
Aeronautic machinists Dan Melling and Adam Turnbull, who turned a Toyota van into an amphibious craft, completed the trip from Waikawa marina in the Marlborough Sounds to Mana marina in just under 10 hours yesterday.
It is believed to be the first trip of its kind across Cook Strait.
The van left Waikawa at 6am, entered Cook Strait at 10.20am and arrived at Mana about 3.45pm, to find more than 100 supporters waiting. "We were always confident. It's bloody good to finally get here," Mr Turnbull said.
The 23-year-olds who have been training at Woodbourne air force base in Blenheim since January encountered a group of dolphins during the "perfectly calm" journey, but Mr Melling was not sure who was more amused.
"They probably haven't seen mag wheels before. It was a pretty cool experience."
They said the "boring Blenheim nightlife" and Kiwi ingenuity inspired them to convert the van.
The front wheels were left for motoring on land, while the drive shaft was removed from the rear and used to run the propeller.
Polystyrene was fitted under the van and at the bow for buoyancy. A four-way multi-plug, run off an old stereo amp, powered a cellphone charger, a stereo, a microwave and a fridge to cool beers.
Powered by a two-litre turbo diesel engine, the van could do just a touch over five knots on the water.
Mr Melling said the pair came up with the idea after seeing something similar on the Top Gear television show. "We sort of mucked around, put a prop on the back of it front-wheel drive on the land and rear-wheel drive on the water."
The pair have just completed their air force training and will now go their separate ways. They will put the van up for sale on Trade Me.
"Not many people would have taken a van across the Strait, so until you do, you don't know, do you?" Mr Melling said of potential bids. "We've had fun and maybe someone else wants to have a go."www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/2839237/A-Sunday-drive-across-the-Strait
The little van that couldBy BLAIR ENSOR - The Marlborough Express | 11:56AM - Monday, 07 September 2009 VAN-CY A TRIP: Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling yesterday crossed Cook Strait in
their amphibious van called Roofliss. — BLAIR ENSOR/The Marlborough Express."We knocked the bastard off", screamed Adam Turnbull when he arrived at Mana Marina late yesterday afternoon.
It was not quite Mount Everest, but the crossing of Cook Strait by Adam and his partner in crime, Dan Melling, has to "rate right up there", said friend Kevin Norman as the pair's vehicle, Roofliss, entered its name in the record books as the first amphibious van to cross the treacherous stretch of water.
The lad's epic journey began at 6am at Waikawa Bay Marina.
With Metallica pumping and a shriek from Adam, "Please, God, help me", the black Toyota Town Ace rolled into the marina's murky water under the cover of darkness.
"We'll see you in the strait," Adam shouted to the support crew.
By 6.27am, each had their first beer in hand and breakfast was being prepared.
"Mint mate ... we might have a sneaky pie heated on the exhaust."
The calm of Queen Charlotte Sound was broken about 6.45am, as the InterIslander ferry ploughed by. The van pirates gave a two-fingered salute and soldiered on.
At about 8am, Dan made a Fathers' Day phone call to Peter Melling, who later had a bottle of wine delivered to him.
"It was pretty brilliant ... what a Father's Day pressie," said Mr Melling, who was on hand to meet the pair at Mana.
"They [Dan and Adam] are a bit off the planet, but they're pretty intelligent and responsible."
By 8.25am, the pair's pies had heated, their toilet, out of one of the van's windows was in use, and the 65-kilometre journey to Mana Marina was looking quite plausible.
"I don't know what everyone's been going on about," said Dan. "It's nice and smooth and dry."
However, at 9.15am, things took a turn for the worse when the engine suddenly cut out.
"It's alright", shouted Dan.
He ducked into the cabin, stuck his head out the window and, with a spanner in hand, announced that a lead from the battery had come loose.
"The heart's definitely beating now," said Adam.About 10.20am, the van emerged from the northern entrance of the Marlborough Sounds and met the initial chop of the strait head on. Waves pushed over the bow as the vessel, at times, broached.
The pair bailed the van out using a bucket, but never looked fazed, and the van sailed on in near perfect conditions.
They passed The Brothers islands soon after, and a small pod of dolphins escorted the van briefly out into the middle of Cook Strait.
"They probably haven't seen mag wheels before," joked Dan.
About halfway across the strait, the van struck another problem when the support boat caught "the big one".
A lure the 30-foot (9-metre) support launch had been trawling out the back narrowly missed tangling in the van's propeller and latched on to the polystyrene undercarriage.
Dan, hanging out the van's window, managed to sever the line.
As the North Island drew near, support boat skipper Jimma Dillon couldn't believe what he had witnessed.
"I just love it," he said.
"I can't believe how it [Roofliss] has handled."
"It is actually rolling less than this boat is."
"It seems as stable as can be. It's proved itself," he said.
"I think it shows real Kiwi ingenuity and spirit at its best."
"I do think there are a shortage of people like that in New Zealand."
At 3.45pm, the amphibious vessel entered Mana Marina, nine hours and 45 minutes after leaving Waikawa.
The lads were met by a crowd of about 200 people, who greeted them with a heroes' welcome as the van drove unscathed out of the water.
"We are definitely pretty stoked. It [the crossing] has got to be up there. She's pretty high in New Zealand achievements," said Dan.
"We made it and we didn't sink and we didn't get eaten by sharks."
"We had life jackets, but we didn't need them because it was such a seaworthy craft," said Adam.
Their message for the youth of today: "Get off the Playstation and go and turn something into something stupid," Dan said.www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/2840943/The-little-van-that-could
Dan Melling and Adam Turnbull became the first people to cross
Cook Strait in a modified amphibious Toyota Town Ace on Sunday.                 
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Post by stu on Sept 7, 2009 21:11:37 GMT 12
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