Out in rural Madagascar, the team were struggling. They knew that there were people in the villages in need of their help, but the wet season had flooded the roads and the Land Rover couldn't get through. Then one of them had an idea.
"What we need," he said, "is a truck that floats."
Swimtruck (find us on Facebook) are working to raise funds to produce exactly that, and to donate it to the Good News Hospital in Madagascar. This will let their community health team continue their work providing vaccinations and advice, even during the wet season. A Swimtruck needs to be a robust and rugged 4x4 for service through most of the year, with add-on amphibious functionality for work when the floods come. Amphibians exist, but they're typically optimised for water, where this needs to be optimised for use on land.
[marked-for-deletion] not an idea, widely known to exist. But despite that, if you could find us on Facebook and "like" us, we'd be grateful. The more people know about it, the easier it will be for us to raise funds when we move into fundraising mode later this year.-- david_scothern, Jan 31 2013 Swimtruck's Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Swimtruck [david_scothern, Feb 01 2013, last modified Feb 25 2013] Swimtruck ala Simpsons http://images.searc...&.crumb=qaJR89FGebiThis is how they define a "Swimtruck" in Springfield (and other parts of the world from rural Madagascar). [jurist, Feb 02 2013] Amphibius recriational vehicle. http://uncrate.com/...6/terra-wind-rv.jpg [2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 02 2013] The Australian version http://www.aquaduck.com.au/galleryAquaduck [UnaBubba, Feb 03 2013] See the Dells http://www.wisconsinducktours.com/ [RayfordSteele, Feb 04 2013] I feel compelled to comment on this product.-- swimswim, Jan 31 2013 What's wrong with a good ol' DUKW? They look a bit funny, but they're 100% truck underneath.-- Alterother, Feb 01 2013 Nothing wrong with a DUKW; sixty years on, they're still doing the job they were built for admirably. We're basing our design on a long wheelbase Land Rover, because that's what the hospital uses already and commonality of spares is important.
Category adjusted.-- david_scothern, Feb 01 2013 I think the standard Land Rover swimming mod is to weld steel drums together lengthwise, then use them as pontoons.-- FlyingToaster, Feb 01 2013 I thought this might be a pool on a flatbed semitrailer. One could use it for lap swimming or any other things one would do in a pool if there were one handy but there is not. Routing the truck exhaust thru an exhanger would allow heat from the engine to warm up the pool en route. One could cover with a dome to keep it warm for use in cold weather. The dome would keep herons out as well.
It might be hard to use in Madagascar because I think it would slosh around a lot on the bumpy roads, but in the dry season they too might appreciate the opportunity to swim laps.
Maybe this is an entirely different idea. Yes, it is. But you have my bun if you change that idea to this one.-- bungston, Feb 01 2013 [bungston], now I realise what our concept has been missing all along...-- david_scothern, Feb 01 2013 hmmm if you went with the inflatable pontoon approach used by amphibious RV's you could retrofit any truck with a snorkle to be a Swimtruck.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 02 2013 1) Caulk the lower body of the Rover.
G) Cut a Rover-sized hole in the bottom of a 17' Zodiac.
4) Insert Rover A into Zodiac B.
5) Lots of 100mph tape.
G) Emblazon rhinoceros-themed logo on left pontoon.
Swimtruck.-- Alterother, Feb 02 2013 Add rowlocks and oars, for those occasions when you run low on fuel.-- UnaBubba, Feb 02 2013 BTW, LandRovers have a PTO that will take a propellor shaft.-- UnaBubba, Feb 02 2013 [UB] Good to see you (well, your text, at least...) That PTO is, I think, an integral part of the plan. Either that or an outboard, depending on which proves the most maintainable. Right now I think the PTO wins.-- david_scothern, Feb 03 2013 Definitely the PTO if you can pick up a quality adaptor kit. Outboards motors are defiant and finicky creatures, almost as uncooperative as small snowblowers.-- Alterother, Feb 03 2013 Or printers.-- normzone, Feb 04 2013 random, halfbakery