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Hollywood stuntman to sail Atlantic in popsicle stick ship
31 world record breaker and former Hollywood stuntman Robert McDonald's new adventure is to cross the Atlantic in a 15-meter ship made of 15 million ice-cream sticks, that looks like a replica of a Viking ship.A lot of the sticks were used, steam-cleaned ones and about 13-million of them were donated by Unilever. He made the ship, stick by stick, with the help of his son and 5000 children from Holland; the sticks have been stuck together by salt-water proof glue. This ship is probably the world's largest handmade recycled object.
McDonald's creative and risk-filled life stems from the fact that he was injured in a gas explosion that killed his parents and six-siblings, and confined him to 5-years of hospital bed rest. All his feats are motivated by a strong and simple belief that he wants to share with kids: "you can do anything". Part of McDonald's fearless stunt portfolio includes climbing the Twin Towers in 1995, and free-climbing the Grand Canyon.
A dangerous expedition but possible; the ship is undergoing various sea-trials at the moment. Apparently, McDonald said that when a boat inspector analyzed one of his planks made of 5000 popsicle sticks, he pronounced it 5-times stronger than steel.(!)
According to a Reuters report, he currently is looking for a crew to sail the ship across Atlantic from Holland to America as well as of course, funding.
Filed under: Stories, Europe, North America, Netherlands, Transportation, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
AlfaMike Apr 10th 2008 11:54AM
Cool looking boat but hasn't this been done already about 50 million times since the late 1400s? He's not exactly breaking new ground here.
Milan Apr 21st 2008 9:25AM
Well did you read what the ship is made from? I guess there were no popsicles in the late 1400s until around 1920s ...
carolyn Mar 22nd 2009 5:18PM
I would like to see you built a boat like this out of the same materials and have the guts to sail it to the United States. But, then you don't come from the same blood lines as Captain Rob. Our family sticks together like the glue he used on this boat. When you attack one you attack all of us.
Gargamello Apr 21st 2008 11:05AM
How do you know there weren't any popsicles in the 1400s? Haven't you ever seen the Mona Lisa? She's got a popsicle in her left hand, that's why she's smiling.