Irving Finkel

But they made it because it had wooden ribs, you see.

And they could get wood ribs.

They worked out by computer the maximum size they could do it when it would work.

Beyond it, it would be impossible because once they built the curved ribs and then the stuff woven all around it, it had to be covered in bitumen, which is also very heavy.

to make it waterproof.

So they calculated the size and it worked.

So they built this thing on rollers and it was pushed out into the... It was just the most unbelievable... I went out there with my dear wife for the last few days and was on the maiden voyage and they had trouble with the bitumen because Indian bitumen is really not up to scratch.

And they couldn't get Iraqi bitumen because it's cultural property.

It's carcinogenic.

They wouldn't export a tanker load of Iraqis.

So we had to use Indian stuff.

But the thing is this, the bitumen which they coated it with was okay, but it wasn't perfect.

So when it went out into the waters, there was a bit of a leak.

Water had to be bailed out.

So everyone said, ah, you see.

I said, okay, it's in sunshine.

I said to this producer, you ever been in a rowing boat without water in the bottom?

Excuse me.

That's the feature of the thing.

Yeah.