Question about Argo use in Antarctic trip

[shub]

Hi
This is regarding the trip/expedition undertaken by a group of Australian scientists to the Antarctic who got stuck there, as you might have seen on the news lately. I've followed the story closely. It appears that they got stuck in a storm due to getting delayed on some islands after they ran into Argo troubles. One team member describes what happened: one of the Argos was being towed over water and it submerged and was pulled out. The engine stopped working afterward.

Since you guys have experience with Argos, and their proper operation, would you think what they did, in terms of towing it over water, unusual or otherwise? How 'hardy' are Argos in terms of getting in and out of water (which they are designed to do)?

I posted a narrative of what happened on this trip here: Akademik Shokalskiy: the fateful moment – Shub Niggurath Climate

[Beeman]

It sounds like they were expecting the Argo to perform in a way it wasn't designed for (fast water speed & being a submarine)

[plott hound]

these guys almost qualify for a darwin award.towing an argo in the freezing ocean with a zodiac?what could possibly go wrong???

[Dan67]

All the college degrees out there and no common sense.

[rodp]

All the college degrees out there and no common sense.

Isn't that the norm ? It's rare to find academics with an ounce of common sense, that's what you get from staying at school all your life. When you do find some with common sense they tend to congregate in one spot, like here

[Adondo]

"Sadly Argo engines don’t take too kindly to being submerged… the ships engineers are still working on it and not very optimistic about its prospects"

So, only Argo engines fail when submerged?!? And, elsewhere in the article, it's like it's a mystery the engine failed because it was merely submerged, and not running when it went down.

Let's also mention we're talking about high winds and whipped whitecaps here. I'd never take my Max out in heavy waves, even here on the river. They're NUTS!

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!?

[Dozerlarry]

Don't jump on me about knocking on Argos here but this is not the kind of equipment a right thinking person would carry into those conditions. I'm thinking more military grade equipment would be appropriate. Agree with Adondo, these people are nut jobs!

[shub]

"... it's like it's a mystery the engine failed because it was merely submerged, and not running when it went down"

I tried to give the expeditioners and their circumstances the maximum benefit of the doubt. Also, isn't the Argo is expected to hold up against water to some extent (not be being fully dunked I agree)?

Here's a video of the lead person and his team testing out the Argos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fctYvQB3SH8

Looks like the research team had developed a "sputtering Argo" problem even on a previous run: Friday 20th December Day 13 - Janet Rice

Our own much more modest trip than the Mawson’s Huts trip continued to be not straightforward. It was very soon after we made the decision to turn around that the Argo started experiencing fuel intake problems, cutting out every 700m or so and needing to recover for 5-10 minutes.

[Dozerlarry]

I guess I'm being a little too picky here but if I were going to the Antarctic I think I'd pick a little more realistic proving ground than my favorite picnic place in Australia. Something about the short sleeve weather doesn't say yes to me.

[ARGOJIM]

Found a short video on the The Spirit of Mawson - Home site showing a tracked 650 Frontier towing a untracked Conquest, I'd venture to guess it had a fuel solenoid issue.
Personally I wouldn't have taken a 20 year old machine to the harshest environment on earth with out being completely gone over, it may have been, but seeing as they are self/donation funded the machine may been donated in good working order.

Also the video link above from Dozerlarry shows the major difference in turning radius in water with the track spacers on.

[riotwarrior]

EPIC fail....training on dusty dry ground and a small mud puddle. LMFAO...E P I C... over edumacated underfriggen realistic people thinking so confined by the dogma they've been fed all their lives.

These machines would be ok in Antartic if those people had a clue on function and operation of said machines! However being the brainiacs not the MECHANICS they need be or have a grasp of what these machines are able to do does in no way perpetuate the strengths of these fine machines, yet it again proves that education though expensive and of worthy cause does not replace good ole hard knock school of real life doing hands on gear work.

Perhaps they need guides to run the machines properly???? Or better yet get Haglunds for their trips LOL

[shub]

It appears the team were given two Argos by ArgoATV Australia. They were trying to crowd-fund and raise money for the third one:

To support our attempt to cross the sea ice and access Cape Denison we have secured two ARGOs in collaboration with ARGO ATV (Aus). However, to maximize the chances of our success in this remote region we need to secure at least one more ARGO

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-us-return-to-mawson-s-antarctic-hut-the-home-of-the-blizzard

[Adondo]

I think the fact that they were using crowd funding sums it up. What they should have had, was a Hydratrek or other more capable machine. MPAV AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLE (i.e. expensive!) Like I said before, in those extreme conditions, Argo, Max, whatever aren't adequate enough for the job. A RIB like the Zodiac works as far as on the water, but those are built for hard rescue work in the first place. Argo, Max, Attex, whatever, are not designed to handle wind whipped waves, and the extreme cold probably didn't help with things like axles seals etc. Just the wrong vehicle for the task at hand.

[Dozerlarry]

Adondo, I don't trust my Max in freezing weather...........at all. Fortunately we don't see much of that. You can bet that the Canadians and Alaskans on here that go on all those long hunting trips have the best maintained vehicles of all of us. Probably should have gotten some of them to go and help those guys.

[jerseybigfoot]

Summertime temperature uasually stay above freezing. So an Argo was not a bad choice. This expedition was done on the cheap and not seasoned Antartic reaschers. The same with the Russian ship capitan. Poor choices were made and they got in trouble. Fortunately the wind changed and they all got out okay. I'm not sure why they called for help. Probably due to inexperience or a panicked passenger. Some of the group were paying passengers to join the party.