72 year old crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a "barrel". With pics.

[underpants]

He Crossed the Atlantic in a Barrel. We Asked Him About Dodging Ships and Using ‘La Toilette.’

The French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin spent over four months alone, floating across the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s freedom,” he said.



On a journey across the Atlantic Ocean, the French adventurer Jean-Jacques Savin spent 127 days alone in a large, barrel-shaped capsule made of plywood, at the mercy of the winds and currents. He had no television. No Facebook or Twitter.

In December, Mr. Savin, a former military parachutist, pilot and park ranger in Africa, set sail from the Canary Islands, the Spanish archipelago west of Morocco, in the orange vessel he built. It measures about 10 feet long and 6 feet 8 inches wide.



What were your happiest moments during the trip?

When the American oceanic vessel Ronald Brown [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s research vessel Ronald H. Brown] came after 62 days to refuel me.



https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/10/world/atlantic-ocean-barrel.html

[Rambling Man]

1. ummm

that's a little more than a "barrel."

It's a "vessel." And evidently it's an "ocean-going vessel."

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. Yes. The word "barrel" conjures up those wooden devices

people use to use to go down Niagara Falls. Of course, most of them didn't survive the trip.

This vessel is the ocean-going equivalent of a tiny house. Personally I don't want to live in one, and I wouldn't want to cross an ocean in one, but if others want to live or travel in one, then go for it.

[Rambling Man]

3. It's a great achievement

but it's still clickbait.

[underpants]

4. It is made of plywood.

As the New York Times stated. Just saying.

[Rambling Man]

5. Yes, it's a great achievement

but it isn't a "barrel."

No knock against you, it's just misleading (NYT headline).

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

6. In the pictures I don't see any plywood.

Maybe there's some in the construction, but it's not by any means entirely made of plywood. Probably not more than 10 or 20 percent.

[dalton99a]

9. Here:

Le tonneau dans lequel Jean-Jacques Savin devrait prendre place pèse 200 kilos et fait 3 mètres sur 2 © sponsor Tonnellerie Boutes

[Nitram]

11. All you highfalutin' spoilsports, it is a high-tech barrel.

[underpants]

21. Gee that looks like a barrel to me

I shouldn't have put it in quotes. My bad.

[appalachiablue]

23. This made me happy, a great effort by JJ I thought, post last week:

Vineyard in Portugal, stay in a barrel overnight. (Way to sleep off a hangover).



California wine barrels.



The Heidelberg Tun, largest wine barrel in the world.

More, https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212080242

[underpants]

29. That's cool!

[onethatcares]

25. well, it sure as hell

isn't OSB

[Blue_true]

32. Since he used waterproofing materials, the plywood would not be visible. nt

[SergeStorms]

14. It has a weighted keel.

His "barrel" didn't tumble around and around. Well conceived, but it's a "barrel" in his mind only.

[delisen]

27. Barrel encompasses more than the barrels we are used to.

such as an average wine barrel or some of the more typical old time sized shipping barrels.

I really like this ocean-going barrel. Hope we all don't have to start considering them as living quarters though as the oceans rise.

[dalton99a]

7. .

[underpants]

8. Excellent pics.

Thanks.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

10. Thank you.

Although it's also clear from the photos that the plywood got covered inside and out with other materials.

[dalton99a]

13. Yes, it was coated with resin and heavily reinforced to resist waves and orca attacks

He didn't build the barrel himself - it was made by two French companies

[pdsimdars]

18. So glad I like to garden with my time.

[Totally Tunsie]

24. Fresh tomatoes and bananas?

How long into his voyage might these pics have been taken? His cabin is already pretty "lived-in" looking to be Day 1 or 2. He says he was refueled on Day 62...wonder if they also brought him provisions.

[SergeStorms]

12. "It's freedom," he said.

That would be the opposite of freedom as far as I'm concerned. What do you have freedom to do? Float in a "barrel" I guess. It's not like you can get out and go for a walk.

[3catwoman3]

15. Whatever "floats your boat," I guess, but...

Last edited Sat May 11, 2019, 02:33 PM - Edit history (1)

...no way in hell would I find this even remotely tempting.

[struggle4progress]

22. +

[tenderfoot]

16. I just stopped in for all the "uh... that's not a barrel" comments

[underpants]

17. DU never disappoints

Wise or otherwise.

[MicaelS]

19. I'm 62.

This 72 yr old has bigger balls than me. No way in hell would I try to cross the ocean alone.

[2naSalit]

20. Pretty fancy barrel...

no way on this planet would I do that for the thrill. For survival, maybe but otherwise nope.

[tavernier]

26. If the population keeps increasing

these might be the next coming luxury apartments, with an ocean view.

[underpants]

30. A beautiful adaptable moveable 70 square feet!

That'd go for about $1000 a month in Richmond.

They are slapping up apartments around here like they are Redboxes.
There's 160 unit apartment building going up right now in the footprint of a bank.

[Raven]

28. This would be a great project for Trump.n/t

[NBachers]

31. It looks pretty barrel-like to me. I salute him for his seagoing adventure.