The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

For when it's not really wooden speed boat related
User avatar
Chivs
Posts: 848
Joined: 14 Sep 2009, 15:52

The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby Chivs » 02 Apr 2014, 16:52

Ahoy all! I have been following the Pagan story, very amusing Ray and all the advice and comments from the peanut gallery. I recently read this summary by a collegue Gerrard Dutton of a story of an Australian guy Ben Carlin and what he got up to, to get an amphibias jeep 18 feet long and 5 feet wide around the world, its probably worth googling and when able I post some of the info, but we all love a photo, so this is what I'm talking about, note the colour Ray!
Attachments
P1010018.JPG
P1010018.JPG (60.46 KiB) Viewed 9442 times
P1010019.JPG
P1010019.JPG (82.39 KiB) Viewed 9445 times
P1010020.JPG
P1010020.JPG (48.17 KiB) Viewed 9446 times
P1010021.JPG
P1010021.JPG (54.61 KiB) Viewed 9444 times

User avatar
Chivs
Posts: 848
Joined: 14 Sep 2009, 15:52

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby Chivs » 02 Apr 2014, 16:55

Just loading up photos a few at a time in case I get timed out!
Attachments
P1010022.JPG
P1010022.JPG (44.71 KiB) Viewed 9434 times
P1010023.JPG
P1010023.JPG (62.3 KiB) Viewed 9434 times
P1010024.JPG
P1010024.JPG (56.01 KiB) Viewed 9427 times
P1010025.JPG
P1010025.JPG (60.53 KiB) Viewed 9420 times
P1010026.JPG
P1010026.JPG (55.25 KiB) Viewed 9425 times
P1010027.JPG
P1010027.JPG (55.7 KiB) Viewed 9426 times

screwit
Posts: 1063
Joined: 09 Apr 2010, 21:29
Location: Stratford vic

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby screwit » 02 Apr 2014, 20:30

I have to say " why would ya "
I wouldn't cross the bay never mind go to Tassie !!!!!!!

User avatar
Chivs
Posts: 848
Joined: 14 Sep 2009, 15:52

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby Chivs » 02 Apr 2014, 22:44

Add the fact that half of it was completed with his wife! Enough said Ross?

They started in 1950 and finished in 1957. Carlin wrote two books of the journey, Across the Atlantic by Jeep published in 1955 and the second, The other half of Half Safe was published in 1989.

He crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Halifax, Nova Scotia to the north west of Africa via Azores and Madeira. They continued overland through Europe to England where necessary funds were raised and the jeep rebuilt. Three years later he took off back through Europe and the Middle East to India. It was shipped to Australia and then returned to India and completed the trip from Calcutta into Asia, Japan and across the Pacific Ocean to Alaska via the Aleutians Islands.
The journey was completed in Montreal.

User avatar
Chivs
Posts: 848
Joined: 14 Sep 2009, 15:52

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby Chivs » 02 Apr 2014, 22:53

Carlin describes the amphibious jeeps as being almost useless in military service. Even without a load there was only 38 cm of freeboard and it's weight and odd shape meant that it could not be steered away from waves quickly so they crashed over the top! Carlin attached a water tight structure to address the issues but at the helm the driver was still sitting at eye level less than 60 cms from water level.

Clever modifications enabled motoring for weeks at sea and he describes it as a capable but quite inefficient amphibian, Ford made a road vehicle float, but Carlin thought it would have been better had they fixed four wheels to a boat! Easy Ray, wait for the next bit!

That may seem the same thing to the uneducated but to an engineer there was a world of difference! Half safe was neither a good car or boat.

To be continued, cheers.

User avatar
Chivs
Posts: 848
Joined: 14 Sep 2009, 15:52

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby Chivs » 03 Apr 2014, 09:52

Carlin faced a multitude of mechanical problems at sea and was able to fix these with very limited resources within the confines of such a small vessel, even partially disassembling his engine at sea! Carlin says his ear became so attuned to the sound of the engine that he could detect subtle changes and identify problems as a result of this long before they caused damage.

The leg across the Atlantic should of taken 10 days but took 21 because he got caught in a hurricane! Due to Half Safes weight, ultra low centre of gravity and lack of free board it acted like a waterlogged baulk of timber.

User avatar
Chivs
Posts: 848
Joined: 14 Sep 2009, 15:52

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby Chivs » 03 Apr 2014, 10:00

When Carlin reached Canada he had covered 9,600 nautical miles (17,800 km) over water and 39,000 miles (62,700 km) overland. When asked what the highlight of the whole circumnavigation was he states it was the hideous 10 mile section of road in Burma so unbelievably difficult that he would rather face two Atlantic Hurricanes!

Ben Carlin was born in Northampton WA in 1912 and went to school in Guildford Grammar school 1923 - 1929 and he visited there on the Australian leg in 1955. He studied engineering and mining and after the Second World War devoted his time to the journey. He died 7 march 1981 aged 69. The guildford grammar school foundation acted as trustee and obtained half safe where it is on display as photo depicts previously.

The end, cheers.

User avatar
WoodRay
Posts: 1006
Joined: 12 Feb 2014, 15:19

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby WoodRay » 03 Apr 2014, 14:31

Jesus!!! What a gutsy effort! A top story. True adventurers.

User avatar
Greg
Creator
Posts: 2145
Joined: 03 Mar 2009, 08:02
Location: Central Victoria
Contact:

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby Greg » 03 Apr 2014, 18:22

Absolute ditto Craig.

Fantastic Chivs. What a great read.

rayza1
Posts: 1574
Joined: 12 Jul 2009, 20:24

Re: The extraordinary travels of Half Safe

Postby rayza1 » 03 Apr 2014, 20:23

Hey Chivs, great read and true adventurers, what I take from this is that his jeep is a better boat than my boat. He sailed around the world in a car and i cant go a hundred yards in a boat..........maybe i should put wheels on Pagan and attempt to DRIVE it a hundred yards!!


Return to “Off Topic”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests