Posted on 08/16/2005 1:46:16 PM PDT by headsonpikes
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 ...
"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...
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.
"I'm proud," said 8-year-old Kim Jaasma, one of the volunteers on hand for the launch. "I hope it works."
She said she didn't think McDonald was crazy at all.
"He's funny sometimes. He's very nice," she said.
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 ...
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Dang, and I thought my models took a long time to build.
"We've come for your flavors!"
Kon-Sticki.
Not that long, surprisingly. Rosie O'Donnell was eating the ice cream for him.
We come from the land of the ice cream stick
Where the deck is sticky and the glue is thick
Yep children can do anything.
All they have to do is eat 15 million ice cream bars and save the sticks.
At $1.80 for 6. That's $0.30 a bar and a cost of $5 million in Ice Cream.
Kontiki was for chumps! Now this!.... this is the real deal! LOL!.....
Yep children can do anything.
All they have to do is eat 15 million ice cream bars and save the sticks.
At $1.80 for 6. That's $0.30 a bar and a cost of $5 million in Ice Cream.
NOAH!!!
I have to stop being cynical like that. You are right, that grant money has to fund something. Better to fund a Viking ice cream stick ship than what the NEA would think up to do with ice cream sticks on their own.
Note: this topic is from 08/16/2005. Thanks headsonpikes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.