Man launches ice cream stick Viking ship
By Toby Sterling, Associated Press Writer


AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- A former Hollywood stunt man now living in the
Netherlands launched his greatest project to date Tuesday: a 45-foot replica
Viking ship made of millions of wooden ice cream sticks and more than a ton
of glue.

Rob McDonald named the ship the "Mjollnir" after the hammer of the mythic
Norse god of thunder, Thor. After the 13 ton boat was lifted into the water
by crane, "Captain Rob," as he is known, stood calmly on the stern as a team
of volunteers rowed the apparently sturdy vessel around the IJ River behind
the city's central station.

"I have a dream to show children they can do anything," McDonald said before
the launch. "If they can dream it, they can do it."

He said he was confident the ship would float, but organizers had prepared
an alternate press statement just in case something went wrong. The biggest
fear was that the ship's keel might be too light and it would capsize. But
the launch went smoothly, and McDonald plans to apply for a mention in the
Guinness Book of Records.

McDonald set the previous record in 2003 with a smaller version of a Viking
ship built from 370,000 wooden ice cream sticks, which has been approved by
the Guinness Book of World Records.

McDonald, an American who lives with his Dutch wife and their son in the
city of Emmeloord, had help from a host of advisers, sponsors and
neighborhood children.

He estimated that in all, he used up to 2.2 tons of glue and 15 million
birch wood ice cream sticks donated by an ice cream manufacturer and found
by neighborhood children.

McDonald and his son Rob Jr., 11, fixed a final ceremonial "15 millionth"
ice cream stick, made of gold, shortly before the launch.

Rob Jr., sporting a Viking helmet and a wooden sword, appeared ready to go
on a voyage of looting and pillaging.

The inside of the boat was reinforced with fiberglass and it can be
propelled by its modern mast and sail, or oars, or a backup motor.

Afterward, the boat was moved back onto dry land and will be on display at
Sail 2005, a major show for antique ships that begins in Amsterdam on
Wednesday.


wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi all,

I'm not sure that I'd go down this route, but it's one heck of a
project

http://www.seaheartship.com/eng/index.php

Cheers,
Mark