[Mike Matson]

Wow! Look at how they launch this boat into the sea with the horses at 2:15 into the video!


http://youtu.be/-7LE6GDq36A

[CDE Driver]

Very cool.

[Foxtrot's]

Those Dutch - a nation of horsemen.

[Pat9]

this is so incredible and ingenious. The tracked boat trailer is unique, yet perfect for navigating the dunes and the surf. When I saw this thread, I expected to see something like horse seining, but this was wonderful!

[charismaryllis]

i kinda liked the ground driving with the bicycle, and, damn, they must have been cold!

[ybiaw]

whoa.

[Pat9]

here's another vid with a better view of the launching and recovery of the boat, plus more info. The boat is a famous rescue boat, and in need, all the villagers would be summoned by a ringing bell to bring their teams to drag it to the sea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOthLl0epAI

I still think this is utterly incredible. Further research on the Ameland rescue boat located a story from 1979, in which the boat was launched on a real rescue, rescuing some yachtsmen successfully, but 8 horses drowned when the surface sand collapsed into a deep trench carved by the current. Their bodies were recovered the next day, and were buried nearby, with a suitable monument. Today this boat launches on summer Saturdays as a re-enactment, while a more modern boat has taken over the rescue duties.

[Foxtrot's]

Everybody knew their job, including the horses, and dang, some were fancy.

[Hippolyta]

here's another vid with a better view of the launching and recovery of the boat, plus more info. The boat is a famous rescue boat, and in need, all the villagers would be summoned by a ringing bell to bring their teams to drag it to the sea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOthLl0epAI

I still think this is utterly incredible. Further research on the Ameland rescue boat located a story from 1979, in which the boat was launched on a real rescue, rescuing some yachtsmen successfully, but 8 horses drowned when the surface sand collapsed into a deep trench carved by the current. Their bodies were recovered the next day, and were buried nearby, with a suitable monument. Today this boat launches on summer Saturdays as a re-enactment, while a more modern boat has taken over the rescue duties.

Wow.

I found this
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/all...17014-344.html

Scroll down to post 5156 by "angelique". I am NOT watching accident video!

[draftdriver]

Very interesting to watch. I'd love to see this in person.

[HannahsMom7]

this is an amazing video. I also checked out the links and there are photos of the horses graves/memory marker, but the accident video is not there. Whew!

[CVPeg]

Really interesting. But was kind of waiting for them to put the sails up!

[caballero]

Those Dutch - a nation of horsemen.

And seamen

[Seriously_Hunter]

Wow, thanks for posting!

[M.K.Smith]

Amazing find, Mike!

How cool... also found this- http://www.zeeinzicht.nl/vleet/index...plate-vleeteng

[M.K.Smith]

This is talking about the horses that drowned in 1979- it is in Dutch, I don't speak Dutch, but you can hear/see the pain in the people talking about the event years later... they do have a clip of the horses from 1979 :-( Very sad that it happened, but amazing that many years later people still remember and are saddened by the event... says something for the power of animals in our lives. If anybody speaks Dutch... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAk5HsOYFU4 I'd love to hear it in English