Cuban Boating
 

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americ....ap/index.html

I think I would have been tempted to let them continue on towards the US due
to their creativeness...

Cuban Boating
 

I'm not one for the open border policy myself, but I gotta agree. Anyone that
can figure out how to make a seaworthy boat out of a 51 Chevy pick-up has what
it takes to succeed here.
Shame that the Coasties sank it.

cliff

Cuban Boating
 

They must get "Junkyard Wars" there.

Cuban Boating
 

"Chief3mfc" wrote ...
I'm not one for the open border policy myself, but I gotta agree. Anyone
that
can figure out how to make a seaworthy boat out of a 51 Chevy pick-up has
what
it takes to succeed here.

That's basically my thoughts on the matter also... I don't believe in open
borders... I believe that you should have to work at it to get into this
country... Making a '51 Chevy pickup able to cross 90 or so miles of sea
seems like they worked at it hard enough... What probably makes it more
impressive is that they probably didn't have the opportunity to do any sort
of shakedown cruises with it... It seems that they made it over halfway...
Too bad the Coasties didn't give them the chance to see if they could make
it the rest of the way... I'm not sure that I would even try that distance
in my boat...

Cuban Boating
 

"Grumman-581" wrote in message m...
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americ....ap/index.html

I think I would have been tempted to let them continue on towards the US due
to their creativeness...

You should have seen the side pictures of it. (I saw them in a
newspaper so can't offer them online to you.)

They actually did alot of work to this. They welded a frame across
the bed of the truck that was 'outriggers' to support the pontoons
created by the 55 gallon drums. They also somehow coupled the
driveshaft with a propeller. It was pretty interesting.

Would make for a good raft contest entry here in the US.

I wonder how they were protecting the engine and transmission
from seawater? One good wave could bounce the truck pretty
good and get water in the carberator. Water could also
easily seep into the transmission. I wonder how far
it would have actually gone?

Cuban Boating
 

I wonder how they were protecting the engine and transmission
from seawater?

They were just counting on the idea that it only had to last 12 hours or so and
corrosion will not be a problem in that length of time. I bet that thing would
rust up into a solid mass if they had taken it out of the water overnight.

Cuban Boating
 

"Grumman-581" wrote in message
...

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americ...ants.truck.ap/
index.html

I think I would have been tempted to let them continue on towards the US
due
to their creativeness...


It's funny. The president says we're trying to spread the word about freedom
and democracy, but when the occasional handful want to come here, we send
them back to a regime we've considered evil since its inception.

Cuban Boating
 

Michael Sutton wrote:

"Grumman-581" wrote in message m...
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americ....ap/index.html

I think I would have been tempted to let them continue on towards the US due
to their creativeness...

You should have seen the side pictures of it. (I saw them in a
newspaper so can't offer them online to you.)

They actually did alot of work to this. They welded a frame across
the bed of the truck that was 'outriggers' to support the pontoons
created by the 55 gallon drums. They also somehow coupled the
driveshaft with a propeller. It was pretty interesting.

Would make for a good raft contest entry here in the US.

I wonder how they were protecting the engine and transmission
from seawater? One good wave could bounce the truck pretty
good and get water in the carberator. Water could also
easily seep into the transmission. I wonder how far
it would have actually gone?


The whole thing reminded me of an episode of "Junkyard Wars" gone
horibly wrong.

Dave

Cuban Boating
 

"Backyard Renegade" wrote in message
om...
"Grumman-581" wrote in
message m...

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americ...ants.truck.ap/
index.html

I think I would have been tempted to let them continue on towards the US
due
to their creativeness...

To me the biggest part of the story was what it must be like there to
have folks take to the water in a vehicle like this... I hear they
have been found paddling bathtubs even. These young men probably left
their young families to take a trip that they must have known had
little chance of success, or even survival for that matter.
As far as letting them go further, the Coast Guard did the right thing
in stopping and ending (sinking) the voyage before the mainstream
news, and a bunch of lawyers, and politicians got into the mix... this
thing had potential for far to good video ;)
Scotty

.....and a Disney movie contract!

Cuban Boating
 

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

....and a Disney movie contract!



But now that I think about it, Disney would change the story so a piano was
being carried along with the passengers. Cuban Family Rodriguez or something
like that. They'd build a tree house upon arrival in Miami....