7/28/2003: 1951 Chevy Truck-Raft

Undertoad · 07-28-2003, 11:52 AM

Now this is ingenuity: 12 Cubans were detained and sent back to Cuba after piloting this thing towards the US last week. They actually attached a propeller to the drive shaft and got about 8 MPH out of it. It's all held afloat by empty 55-gallon drums.

Trouble is, it's too big. It was spotted 40 miles south of Key West, which means they only made it about halfway before being picked up and sent back.

You can't stay in the US at all unless you actually make it to shore. But this level of thinking and effort should be rewarded... I say this is exactly the kind of immigrant we want, and they should have been allowed to stay.

pegusitas · 07-28-2003, 12:45 PM

Did you happen to see how the Coast Guard disposed of the truck? I saw news footage of them using the machine gun to blow it up! Pretty cool! You could hear all of the crewmen yelling "Whoa!" when it exploded on the water and then sank to the bottom.

Griff · 07-28-2003, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pegusitas
Did you happen to see how the Coast Guard disposed of the truck? I saw news footage of them using the machine gun to blow it up! Pretty cool! You could hear all of the crewmen yelling "Whoa!" when it exploded on the water and then sank to the bottom.

Say it ain't so! Dang, that was a cool rig.

xoxoxoBruce · 07-28-2003, 01:30 PM

I'm with you, Griff. It looked like a lot of careful planning went into the effort with life jackets and everything. I think it's a shame to blow up that rig. Hell it's a shame to even stop them. If they can cross 90 miles of open ocean then they're smart enough to be an asset to us, or is that U.S..

Griff · 07-28-2003, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xoxoxoBruce
If they can cross 90 miles of open ocean then they're smart enough to be an asset to us, or is that U.S..

Yep.

arz · 07-28-2003, 03:37 PM

I'm thinking the life jackets were supplied by the Coast Guard.

Griff · 07-28-2003, 04:06 PM

You're probably right there. I doubt that you'd use much highly reflective tape if you didn't want to be seen.

Senor Oso · 07-28-2003, 04:11 PM

Holy crap, that looks exactly like something you'd see on Junkyard Wars.

fredsonic · 01-30-2008, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senor Oso

Holy crap, that looks exactly like something you'd see on Junkyard Wars.

In the UK we have a motoring show called "Top Gear" presented by three lunatics, Jeremy Clarkson, James May & Richard Hammond. They all converted road vehicles into amphibious craft & were made to carry out a variety of tasks, including sailing from the south coast of England to France through the buseyest shipping lane in the world. Two out of the three sank. The Toyota got there.

elSicomoro · 07-28-2003, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Undertoad
But this level of thinking and effort should be rewarded... I say this is exactly the kind of immigrant we want, and they should have been allowed to stay.

...so that they can become criminals with ingenious ideas.

xoxoxoBruce · 07-28-2003, 05:29 PM

Quote:

I'm thinking the life jackets were supplied by the Coast Guard.

Maybe, but I saw another picture that was taken from some ways off, that showed them. And three of the men don't have them on.

Quote:

I doubt that you'd use much highly reflective tape if you didn't want to be seen.

What about that bright yellow tarp?

Quote:

...so that they can become criminals with ingenious ideas.

That's the first racist statement I've ever heard from you.

Leah · 07-28-2003, 05:39 PM

Thank god they weren't on their way to Australia, we have enough of that happening over here. But I like their idea, couldn't part with the car hey!.

linknoid · 07-28-2003, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Leah
Thank god they weren't on their way to Australia, we have enough of that happening over here. But I like their idea, couldn't part with the car hey!.

Enough criminals?

Quote:

MAN IN BLACK: You've made your decision then?

VIZZINI: Not remotely. Because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows. And Australia is entirely peopled with criminals. And criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me. So I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.

MAN IN BLACK: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

elSicomoro · 07-28-2003, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by xoxoxoBruce
That's the first racist statement I've ever heard from you.

I'll try to sum this up as simply as possible...and a number of my 4800 posts along with various members of the Cellar will back me up:

--El sicómoro is not a racist.
--I make fun of damned near anything and everything.

chrisinhouston · 07-28-2003, 07:45 PM

I wonder if the truck would have been drivable? Were they just using it to float over on or did they hook up a propellar to the drive shaft.

Too bad they didn't have AAA!

07-28-2003, 11:52 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	7/28/2003: 1951 Chevy Truck-Raft Now this is ingenuity: 12 Cubans were detained and sent back to Cuba after piloting this thing towards the US last week. They actually attached a propeller to the drive shaft and got about 8 MPH out of it. It's all held afloat by empty 55-gallon drums. Trouble is, it's too big. It was spotted 40 miles south of Key West, which means they only made it about halfway before being picked up and sent back. You can't stay in the US at all unless you actually make it to shore. But this level of thinking and effort should be rewarded... I say this is exactly the kind of immigrant we want, and they should have been allowed to stay.

07-28-2003, 12:45 PM	#2
pegusitas Writer of Writings Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 14	it's disposal Did you happen to see how the Coast Guard disposed of the truck? I saw news footage of them using the machine gun to blow it up! Pretty cool! You could hear all of the crewmen yelling "Whoa!" when it exploded on the water and then sank to the bottom.

07-28-2003, 01:30 PM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I'm with you, Griff. It looked like a lot of careful planning went into the effort with life jackets and everything. I think it's a shame to blow up that rig. Hell it's a shame to even stop them. If they can cross 90 miles of open ocean then they're smart enough to be an asset to us, or is that U.S.. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

07-28-2003, 04:06 PM	#7
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	You're probably right there. I doubt that you'd use much highly reflective tape if you didn't want to be seen. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

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07-28-2003, 03:37 PM	#6
arz Hand-of-Kindness Extender Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: So Cal Posts: 137	I'm thinking the life jackets were supplied by the Coast Guard.

07-28-2003, 04:11 PM	#8
Senor Oso Antagonistic Antagonist Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA Posts: 22	Holy crap, that looks exactly like something you'd see on Junkyard Wars.

07-28-2003, 05:39 PM	#12
Leah Love my Heffalumps Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia (best place in the world) Posts: 346	Thank god they weren't on their way to Australia, we have enough of that happening over here. But I like their idea, couldn't part with the car hey!.

07-28-2003, 07:45 PM	#15
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	I wonder if the truck would have been drivable? Were they just using it to float over on or did they hook up a propellar to the drive shaft. Too bad they didn't have AAA!

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