Sunday 28 February 2010

From the Bloggersphere

Gonna rain ALL day today, with an hour off for lunch, so I'm surfin'.
O Dock speculates about the return of sailing merchant ships when the oil runs out. This would be a very good thing for cargo, but travellers need a reliable schedule, so the future of intercontinental travel is:
Fast, reliable and the passengers do most of the work. At the end of a transatlantic passage they will be fit as fleas. This could cure the obesity epidemic at a stroke. Bring back the galleys!
Which brings me to The Invisible Workshop, where Ben outlines the training schedule for the Spanish National Regatta. Weights Mon and Weds, Running Tues, Rowing Fri and Sun. I assume that Sat is wasted schlepping round the house doing odd jobs. They are going to be fit as very fit fleas.
Ben also posts a picture of a traditional Catalan oar, which he says is so well balanced it is a delight to swing despite its enormous weight. The blade is thin but its length gets a good grip on the water, apparently. Very interesting.

4 comments:

Mike said...

Oh, I love the idea of cruise ship passengers chained to the rowing benches.

O Docker said...

I think this could work if marketed well.

The ship could be powered by sails and an electric motor. Passengers would defray the cost of the passage by spending time in the onboard gym. The rowing machines, stairmasters, and stationary bikes power generators that charge the ship's batteries. You get credit for the number of kilowatt-hours you produce.

It might be tough trying to market whips and chains (except to a very limited audience), but think of the potential of The Slim-Fast Cruise.

The taskmasters would become 'personal trainers'.

Lance Armstrong could probably ride for free.

doryman said...

I'll go! Pick me!

Ben said...

I mean to find you some more info on the boats etc. We train flat out out and then everybody zooms off and there never seems to be a moment to chat about boat design. But I'm working on it...