Pipe Dream - the craziest project of the year
The point is not to be first, but to believe in yourself
Robbie Maddison
Welcome to our readers on the pages of the blog iCover ! You may have heard about the Australian racer and stuntman Robbie Maddison - a living legend of motor sports. His track record includes backflip over the Tower Bridge, which is being bridged, a jump over the Corinth Canal, a tandem jump over the harbor of San Diego, 115 meters long and a number of other stunning tricks. This is how Robbie works, that he doesn’t manage to challenge himself or hit his fans at least once a year. Maddison did not fail to be noted in 2015, expanding our traditional understanding of the possibilities of such a vehicle as a motorcycle.
Today we will move a little away from the usual information format, forget about hackers, megapixels, joules, fullerenes and solitons, and tell you about the most incredible project of the past year, Pipe Dream - “The Impossible Dream” and the next achievement of Robbie Maddison.
')
In August 2015, Robbie Maddison again proved that the limits of the possible are quite conditional. And the task of riding a motorcycle ride on Robbie and his team arose 3 years ago and coincided with the proposal of the manager of the team DC Shoes ... "to risk life for the sake of one short video ...". Dozens of projects, hundreds of hours of work, six drowned motorcycles - these are a small part of those victims who were brought on the way to the goal. Madison's Pipe Dream became a reality in 2015, when he managed to conquer one of the most treacherous waves in the world on a motorcycle.
The concept of conquering water on a motorcycle is not new. Attempts to aquaplaning at high speed and even overcoming small lakes on motorcycles are periodically made by amateur drivers. One of the rather famous ones is the overcoming of the pond on Mississippi by Kevin Windham on the Honda CRF450R. But this, as Donn Maeda claims, compared to the challenge that Robbie faced can be compared to playing in a sandbox. It would seem that can still confuse Robbie, the conqueror of heights and distances on the verge of a foul? But, according to Maddison himself, never before has the challenge been so much like a pipe dream. He was going to conquer the ocean wave on his bike, one of those that can be caught on the beach with a sandy bottom, and the legendary Teahupo'o reefbreak in Tahiti. The bottom of this coastline is a coral reef, located 20 inches below the surface of the water. The wave here is formed approximately in the same place and is shifted only depending on its size or phase of the tide. On the one hand, such waves are easier to predict by choosing two landmarks on the coast and knowing that it (the wave) breaks, usually in the same place. On the other hand, surfing on a reef wave can be extremely dangerous, especially during low tide, when the likelihood of breaking against corals increases many times.
When Maddie looks into the distance with a glassy look and does not express anything on her face, it means something has to happen. “I got a great suggestion for your creativity, mate,” he said. “I can’t give details yet, but this is incredible. If you look through my social posts, you will understand. " “Having scrolled through Instagram, I found several messages that mentioned the lake and short notes about testing. ... Are you going to jump over the entire lake or what?” I asked. “No,” he replied, laughing. - "I'm going to ride on the water" ...
A year passed, and Maeda again asked Robbie if he had left the idea of ​​a “water bike” project in the hope of receiving an affirmative answer. But as it turned out, all this time Maddison was mulling over the details of Pipe Dream. “Once I collected all the sketches available and contacted one of the guys who designed the snowmobiles. Having voiced details and inquiring about his opinion, I received a counter offer - to make a fully working prototype of a motorcycle that could ride on water. ”
Before Maddison enlisted the support of professional designers, his first experiments were carried out with a Honda CR500R equipped with two skis: a smaller one on the front wheel and a larger one starting under the frame and going behind the rear wheel. Since there was no working draft, I had to experiment with many options, including dozens of options for skis and tires. "Contrary to our expectations, the overall output power of the bike did not have a significant impact on its ability to ride on water," says team mechanic Morgan. "... The shape, angle of the skis and the number of blades on the rear tire had a much bigger impact ... I would say that throughout the project preparation time, we sunk our prototype from 30 to 40 times," he recalls.
One of the biggest problems faced by the Robbie Maddison team in Tahiti is the peculiarities of the ocean water, which is fundamentally different from the fresh water of the lakes where preliminary tests were carried out. "How to behave our modernized bike in the ocean to the end no one imagined," - said Maddie.
Upon arrival in Tahiti, Maddison and the DC crew spent several days exploring the site and, most importantly, getting their own sensations from the famous surfbreak. “When we first arrived here, I managed to experiment a lot with the wave and got a little comfortable with it,” says Maddy. “As they argued before, it should be a wave of seven feet, but in fact this figure could be completely doubled. I was able to appreciate and feel the size and speed of the surf from its crest, and it was amazing. I also appreciated the force of the wave when I was under water several times. It was at such moments that I made a firm decision to wear a lifejacket under my clothes. ” To get useful experience, Robbie saddled Teahupo'o on a jet ski several times. At some point, Maddie flew in a wave in the air and then splashed down with such force that she dislocated her shoulder and with difficulty reached the shore.
Reaiman Reiman Van Bastolaer (legend of Tahitian surfing) rendered invaluable help at the stage of acquaintance with Teahupo'o reefbreak.
A few days before the final event, Maddie spent testing the behavior of his water bike in a secluded lagoon north of Teahupo'o. There were all possibilities for experimenting with skis of various shapes and sizes and angles of their installation. And all this time with the team was a film crew of photographers and video operators. Robbie repeatedly rolled out onto the beach and was transferred to calm water without any problems.
Maddy's team proposed a simple and ingenious plan that could significantly increase Maddison’s chances of successfully overcoming the insidious Teahupo'o reefbreak - catching a wave from a barge that was rented with the assistance of Ryman from a local company. To ensure a smooth exit to the water at a sufficient initial speed, a special ramp was installed on the barge, located at a small angle to the horizon line. “When everything was ready, the launch from the ramp looked like an episode from the movie Mad Max, but with additional special effects on the water,” Maeda jokes.
At the end of the fifth day of his stay in Tahiti, Robbie admitted: “This project is as dangerous as all my other stunts, plus I'm really afraid to come here and drown. Over the last two years of working on Pipe Dream, I dislocated my shoulder, broke my ankle, and received several concussions. You probably cannot imagine how it is possible to experience pain on the water, but quite often it was pain that brought me back to the shore. ” “There is only one thing that it is difficult to blame Maddie - these are tricks without a previously clearly worked out plan. Perhaps this is not consistent with the reckless way of a carefree, desperate freestyle sculptor on the glossy covers of magazines, but this is exactly what Robbie is a true sports technician. ” - adds Maeda.
In reality, the task that stood before Robbie and the team according to the program of the show turned out to be much more difficult than previously thought. The first attempt ended in a fiasco - and the motorcycle and the “rider” plunged into the sea foam after the start of the shooting process.
An unpleasant revelation was the effect of “reverse suction” by a wave of a certain volume of water under a bike, which made it difficult to move forward, by analogy with a treadmill. After the first unsuccessful attempt, the bike was dried, all critical components were tested for operability after salt water. It was concluded that the fourth gear would be the optimal choice for the “advanced” massive Teahupo'o wave.
The second attempt at Teahupo'o turned out to be much more successful, thanks in large part to Rayman Bastolyer, who precisely defined the moment of the beginning of the wave formation and the start. “I was nervous when I saddled the first wave, but I was only set to succeed,” says Maddy. Fortunately, everything went that way, or almost everything — on the shores of Maddison is filled with a whole gamut of emotions. On the one hand, he is happy, because the project “The Impossible Dream” was destined to come true, on the other hand, he was dissatisfied, because he understood that everything could have gone cleaner and better.
The third attempt, according to the team was flawless, both in the process of overcoming Teahupo'o, and at the stage of exit from it. The shooting was a success, the bike successfully drove out of the water, Robbie did not get a bruise. It would seem that in the Pipe Dream project you can finally put a fat and bright point, but not for Robbie Maddison - he is sure that the wave for which he came and for which he worked for three years you have to wait a couple more days. After all, the Teahupo'o reef waves in this part of the coast reach a height of 20 feet, and forecasts for the coming days fully confirm this.
Robbie’s perseverance convinced Bastolier to move the final shooting of the Pipe Dream with Teahupo'o reef super-waves a little to the north to Cape Papara, where surfing is not so popular. He explained that the time of the big waves at Teahupo'o is the time of a massive influx of surfers, which could jeopardize the team’s plans. Ramone warned that the waves on Papara are much more massive and taller, but this didn’t make Maddy leave attempts to capture the epic stills.
“All team members were nervous about this last wave,” says Morgan. But everything went well, although at certain seconds Robby thought that Pipe Dream would be the last project of his stellar career. '' To be honest, when I saw the wave hanging over me, a thought flashed through my mind that this was the end. When the wave hit me and the bike I did my best to stay calm. I have never been so close to the last line. But, apparently, sometimes you need to step over your abilities to find out what we can do, ”Maddison said at the end of the shooting.
We bring to your attention an exclusive interview taken from Robbie Maddison by a RedBull journalist immediately after the last round of a two-week shoot.
Robbie, two words about tires, thanks to which you managed to bring this project to life?
For this project, I used special Skat Trak tires, designed for races on steep climbs. I managed to test them on the water before the shooting twice - on Lake Elsinore and at home in San Diego.
How did you manage to protect the air filter from water? What in the design of the motorcycle had to change?
I sealed the filter, like a submarine, and added a couple of special chips. We also added a booster system to the motorcycle.
During the shoot, your gear was constantly wet. Did you use any special gear? How did you feel being in the sun for a long time?
Everything was OK, a little hot, but water and wind helped to cope with it. All my gear was ordinary, except that under the jersey I wore a life jacket.
One of your photographers, Garth Milan, said that because of the changing climate, the whole team in Tahiti was constantly ill. How did you handle it?
I was the only person from the whole team who was completely healthy all the time. It is, in fact, very ironic.
Shooting Pipe Dream lasted 2 weeks. How much time did you spend in the water before you could catch the wave?
I caught the first wave I went after. I grew up on the beach, so on the water I feel quite confident.
Where did the idea of ​​connecting a motorcycle and surf come from?
I came up with the idea myself, I love to ride a bike and surf. Once I had a vision ... I saw how to implement this project, and most importantly, everything will work. I was ready to overcome any difficulties, and in the end to bring the idea to life.
What security measures were taken during filming? How did you manage to get a heavy bike from the bottom?
As I said before, a special pumping system was installed on the motorcycle, which lifted it to the surface. But the main security measure of this project is an experienced team of rescuers, for whom such conditions were everyday.
They said that sometimes you were under water for up to 2 minutes. How did you manage to hold your breath for so long?
Before traveling to Tahiti, I had been training for a long breath and was constantly tuned in that I would remain calm when I was under a wave. However, this is not so easy. Several times, when a big wave covered me, I mentally said goodbye to my family and friends. Mad sensations.
The surfers, who were watching your beach stunt, were shocked. What did they tell you after the shoot?
They said it was very cool and celebrated success with us. They knew more than anyone else about the danger of the Tahitian waves, and did not believe that you could ride a motorcycle on them until you saw everything with your own eyes.
For 10 days, a YouTube video gathered 16,000,000 views. Did you expect such success?
This is a project that I was very passionate about and proud of. I am very pleased that now, when given so much strength, I can in all its glory show the world what I have been working on for so long.
Answering the question: “Which project was the most significant in your photography career?” Garth Milan, a photographer and friend of Robbie Madison, said: “Definitely, Pipe Dream holds the lead. Only Red Bull Stratos can compete with him when Baumgartner jumped out of the stratosphere . But Pipe Dream inspires me more simply because I consider Robbie to be my close friend. His tricks always make a special impression on me. ”
And it’s hard not to agree.
Used materials
Robbie Maddison website
Interview with Robbie Maddison on RedBull
Maddison's Five Most Famous Tricks
Friends, we hope that we were able to get a little closer to our goal and managed to create a festive atmosphere for you. If so, then our mood will definitely be festive. Be healthy and successful, and keep visiting us also actively, but already in the New 2016! Our information tour continues.
Dear readers, we are always happy to meet and wait for you on the pages of our blog. We are ready to continue to share with you the latest news, review articles and other publications and will try to do everything possible so that the time spent with us will be useful for you. And, of course, do not forget to subscribe to our headings .
Our other articles and events
Robbie Maddison
Welcome to our readers on the pages of the blog iCover ! You may have heard about the Australian racer and stuntman Robbie Maddison - a living legend of motor sports. His track record includes backflip over the Tower Bridge, which is being bridged, a jump over the Corinth Canal, a tandem jump over the harbor of San Diego, 115 meters long and a number of other stunning tricks. This is how Robbie works, that he doesn’t manage to challenge himself or hit his fans at least once a year. Maddison did not fail to be noted in 2015, expanding our traditional understanding of the possibilities of such a vehicle as a motorcycle.
Today we will move a little away from the usual information format, forget about hackers, megapixels, joules, fullerenes and solitons, and tell you about the most incredible project of the past year, Pipe Dream - “The Impossible Dream” and the next achievement of Robbie Maddison.
')
In August 2015, Robbie Maddison again proved that the limits of the possible are quite conditional. And the task of riding a motorcycle ride on Robbie and his team arose 3 years ago and coincided with the proposal of the manager of the team DC Shoes ... "to risk life for the sake of one short video ...". Dozens of projects, hundreds of hours of work, six drowned motorcycles - these are a small part of those victims who were brought on the way to the goal. Madison's Pipe Dream became a reality in 2015, when he managed to conquer one of the most treacherous waves in the world on a motorcycle.
The concept of conquering water on a motorcycle is not new. Attempts to aquaplaning at high speed and even overcoming small lakes on motorcycles are periodically made by amateur drivers. One of the rather famous ones is the overcoming of the pond on Mississippi by Kevin Windham on the Honda CRF450R. But this, as Donn Maeda claims, compared to the challenge that Robbie faced can be compared to playing in a sandbox. It would seem that can still confuse Robbie, the conqueror of heights and distances on the verge of a foul? But, according to Maddison himself, never before has the challenge been so much like a pipe dream. He was going to conquer the ocean wave on his bike, one of those that can be caught on the beach with a sandy bottom, and the legendary Teahupo'o reefbreak in Tahiti. The bottom of this coastline is a coral reef, located 20 inches below the surface of the water. The wave here is formed approximately in the same place and is shifted only depending on its size or phase of the tide. On the one hand, such waves are easier to predict by choosing two landmarks on the coast and knowing that it (the wave) breaks, usually in the same place. On the other hand, surfing on a reef wave can be extremely dangerous, especially during low tide, when the likelihood of breaking against corals increases many times.
Narrated by one of the photographers of the Maddison team, Donn Maeda.
When Maddie looks into the distance with a glassy look and does not express anything on her face, it means something has to happen. “I got a great suggestion for your creativity, mate,” he said. “I can’t give details yet, but this is incredible. If you look through my social posts, you will understand. " “Having scrolled through Instagram, I found several messages that mentioned the lake and short notes about testing. ... Are you going to jump over the entire lake or what?” I asked. “No,” he replied, laughing. - "I'm going to ride on the water" ...
A year passed, and Maeda again asked Robbie if he had left the idea of ​​a “water bike” project in the hope of receiving an affirmative answer. But as it turned out, all this time Maddison was mulling over the details of Pipe Dream. “Once I collected all the sketches available and contacted one of the guys who designed the snowmobiles. Having voiced details and inquiring about his opinion, I received a counter offer - to make a fully working prototype of a motorcycle that could ride on water. ”
Before Maddison enlisted the support of professional designers, his first experiments were carried out with a Honda CR500R equipped with two skis: a smaller one on the front wheel and a larger one starting under the frame and going behind the rear wheel. Since there was no working draft, I had to experiment with many options, including dozens of options for skis and tires. "Contrary to our expectations, the overall output power of the bike did not have a significant impact on its ability to ride on water," says team mechanic Morgan. "... The shape, angle of the skis and the number of blades on the rear tire had a much bigger impact ... I would say that throughout the project preparation time, we sunk our prototype from 30 to 40 times," he recalls.
In tahiti
One of the biggest problems faced by the Robbie Maddison team in Tahiti is the peculiarities of the ocean water, which is fundamentally different from the fresh water of the lakes where preliminary tests were carried out. "How to behave our modernized bike in the ocean to the end no one imagined," - said Maddie.
Upon arrival in Tahiti, Maddison and the DC crew spent several days exploring the site and, most importantly, getting their own sensations from the famous surfbreak. “When we first arrived here, I managed to experiment a lot with the wave and got a little comfortable with it,” says Maddy. “As they argued before, it should be a wave of seven feet, but in fact this figure could be completely doubled. I was able to appreciate and feel the size and speed of the surf from its crest, and it was amazing. I also appreciated the force of the wave when I was under water several times. It was at such moments that I made a firm decision to wear a lifejacket under my clothes. ” To get useful experience, Robbie saddled Teahupo'o on a jet ski several times. At some point, Maddie flew in a wave in the air and then splashed down with such force that she dislocated her shoulder and with difficulty reached the shore.
Reaiman Reiman Van Bastolaer (legend of Tahitian surfing) rendered invaluable help at the stage of acquaintance with Teahupo'o reefbreak.
A few days before the final event, Maddie spent testing the behavior of his water bike in a secluded lagoon north of Teahupo'o. There were all possibilities for experimenting with skis of various shapes and sizes and angles of their installation. And all this time with the team was a film crew of photographers and video operators. Robbie repeatedly rolled out onto the beach and was transferred to calm water without any problems.
Maddy's team proposed a simple and ingenious plan that could significantly increase Maddison’s chances of successfully overcoming the insidious Teahupo'o reefbreak - catching a wave from a barge that was rented with the assistance of Ryman from a local company. To ensure a smooth exit to the water at a sufficient initial speed, a special ramp was installed on the barge, located at a small angle to the horizon line. “When everything was ready, the launch from the ramp looked like an episode from the movie Mad Max, but with additional special effects on the water,” Maeda jokes.
At the end of the fifth day of his stay in Tahiti, Robbie admitted: “This project is as dangerous as all my other stunts, plus I'm really afraid to come here and drown. Over the last two years of working on Pipe Dream, I dislocated my shoulder, broke my ankle, and received several concussions. You probably cannot imagine how it is possible to experience pain on the water, but quite often it was pain that brought me back to the shore. ” “There is only one thing that it is difficult to blame Maddie - these are tricks without a previously clearly worked out plan. Perhaps this is not consistent with the reckless way of a carefree, desperate freestyle sculptor on the glossy covers of magazines, but this is exactly what Robbie is a true sports technician. ” - adds Maeda.
In reality, the task that stood before Robbie and the team according to the program of the show turned out to be much more difficult than previously thought. The first attempt ended in a fiasco - and the motorcycle and the “rider” plunged into the sea foam after the start of the shooting process.
An unpleasant revelation was the effect of “reverse suction” by a wave of a certain volume of water under a bike, which made it difficult to move forward, by analogy with a treadmill. After the first unsuccessful attempt, the bike was dried, all critical components were tested for operability after salt water. It was concluded that the fourth gear would be the optimal choice for the “advanced” massive Teahupo'o wave.
The second attempt at Teahupo'o turned out to be much more successful, thanks in large part to Rayman Bastolyer, who precisely defined the moment of the beginning of the wave formation and the start. “I was nervous when I saddled the first wave, but I was only set to succeed,” says Maddy. Fortunately, everything went that way, or almost everything — on the shores of Maddison is filled with a whole gamut of emotions. On the one hand, he is happy, because the project “The Impossible Dream” was destined to come true, on the other hand, he was dissatisfied, because he understood that everything could have gone cleaner and better.
The third attempt, according to the team was flawless, both in the process of overcoming Teahupo'o, and at the stage of exit from it. The shooting was a success, the bike successfully drove out of the water, Robbie did not get a bruise. It would seem that in the Pipe Dream project you can finally put a fat and bright point, but not for Robbie Maddison - he is sure that the wave for which he came and for which he worked for three years you have to wait a couple more days. After all, the Teahupo'o reef waves in this part of the coast reach a height of 20 feet, and forecasts for the coming days fully confirm this.
Robbie’s perseverance convinced Bastolier to move the final shooting of the Pipe Dream with Teahupo'o reef super-waves a little to the north to Cape Papara, where surfing is not so popular. He explained that the time of the big waves at Teahupo'o is the time of a massive influx of surfers, which could jeopardize the team’s plans. Ramone warned that the waves on Papara are much more massive and taller, but this didn’t make Maddy leave attempts to capture the epic stills.
“All team members were nervous about this last wave,” says Morgan. But everything went well, although at certain seconds Robby thought that Pipe Dream would be the last project of his stellar career. '' To be honest, when I saw the wave hanging over me, a thought flashed through my mind that this was the end. When the wave hit me and the bike I did my best to stay calm. I have never been so close to the last line. But, apparently, sometimes you need to step over your abilities to find out what we can do, ”Maddison said at the end of the shooting.
We bring to your attention an exclusive interview taken from Robbie Maddison by a RedBull journalist immediately after the last round of a two-week shoot.
Robbie, two words about tires, thanks to which you managed to bring this project to life?
For this project, I used special Skat Trak tires, designed for races on steep climbs. I managed to test them on the water before the shooting twice - on Lake Elsinore and at home in San Diego.
How did you manage to protect the air filter from water? What in the design of the motorcycle had to change?
I sealed the filter, like a submarine, and added a couple of special chips. We also added a booster system to the motorcycle.
During the shoot, your gear was constantly wet. Did you use any special gear? How did you feel being in the sun for a long time?
Everything was OK, a little hot, but water and wind helped to cope with it. All my gear was ordinary, except that under the jersey I wore a life jacket.
One of your photographers, Garth Milan, said that because of the changing climate, the whole team in Tahiti was constantly ill. How did you handle it?
I was the only person from the whole team who was completely healthy all the time. It is, in fact, very ironic.
Shooting Pipe Dream lasted 2 weeks. How much time did you spend in the water before you could catch the wave?
I caught the first wave I went after. I grew up on the beach, so on the water I feel quite confident.
Where did the idea of ​​connecting a motorcycle and surf come from?
I came up with the idea myself, I love to ride a bike and surf. Once I had a vision ... I saw how to implement this project, and most importantly, everything will work. I was ready to overcome any difficulties, and in the end to bring the idea to life.
What security measures were taken during filming? How did you manage to get a heavy bike from the bottom?
As I said before, a special pumping system was installed on the motorcycle, which lifted it to the surface. But the main security measure of this project is an experienced team of rescuers, for whom such conditions were everyday.
They said that sometimes you were under water for up to 2 minutes. How did you manage to hold your breath for so long?
Before traveling to Tahiti, I had been training for a long breath and was constantly tuned in that I would remain calm when I was under a wave. However, this is not so easy. Several times, when a big wave covered me, I mentally said goodbye to my family and friends. Mad sensations.
The surfers, who were watching your beach stunt, were shocked. What did they tell you after the shoot?
They said it was very cool and celebrated success with us. They knew more than anyone else about the danger of the Tahitian waves, and did not believe that you could ride a motorcycle on them until you saw everything with your own eyes.
For 10 days, a YouTube video gathered 16,000,000 views. Did you expect such success?
This is a project that I was very passionate about and proud of. I am very pleased that now, when given so much strength, I can in all its glory show the world what I have been working on for so long.
Answering the question: “Which project was the most significant in your photography career?” Garth Milan, a photographer and friend of Robbie Madison, said: “Definitely, Pipe Dream holds the lead. Only Red Bull Stratos can compete with him when Baumgartner jumped out of the stratosphere . But Pipe Dream inspires me more simply because I consider Robbie to be my close friend. His tricks always make a special impression on me. ”
And it’s hard not to agree.
Used materials
Robbie Maddison website
Interview with Robbie Maddison on RedBull
Maddison's Five Most Famous Tricks
Friends, we hope that we were able to get a little closer to our goal and managed to create a festive atmosphere for you. If so, then our mood will definitely be festive. Be healthy and successful, and keep visiting us also actively, but already in the New 2016! Our information tour continues.
Dear readers, we are always happy to meet and wait for you on the pages of our blog. We are ready to continue to share with you the latest news, review articles and other publications and will try to do everything possible so that the time spent with us will be useful for you. And, of course, do not forget to subscribe to our headings .
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Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/367447/
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