Fuel haul across the Empty Quarter in Saudi

[adashoe]

Forgot to mention , but sure you thought about it , petrol when shakes up produce a big quantity of VERY flammable vapors .
After a day going up and down the dunes you will build up a consideral amount of vapors.
That is not safe neither healthy.
So pls consider a vapor valve to avoid all this .

I have thought about the 55 gallon drums but they don't have internal baffles and I don't want that much weight shifting. The marine tanks are lower and I can fit all attachments.

Merry Christmas.

 

[renago]

Fuel shifting is more a key pad worrie then a real problem .
With 54 Gal drums , fuel is mostly vertical , do don't get much side movements .
But any solution has pro/contra .
How many cars is the team ?

 

[adashoe]

Fuel shifting is more a key pad worrie then a real problem .
With 54 Gal drums , fuel is mostly vertical , do don't get much side movements .
But any solution has pro/contra .
How many cars is the team ?

4 forward, 4 to 6 support/camera crew and one man on foot

 

[renago]

this was the start of a 2000 km range trip in Egypt , just my wife and me .
1 car .
400 L of fuel , 70 L water , 9 days .
great trip .

 

[renago]

 

[renago]

we made several trips in the Sahara region , during the past 20 years ,
Tenere desert , in Niger /algeria .
Algeria , Mauritania , Morocco , Lybia .
we do have some experience in these kind of trips .
All areas with trouble today ....unfortunately .

bye Renago

 

[adashoe]

View attachment 2164428
this was the start of a 2000 km range trip in Egypt , just my wife and me .
1 car .
400 L of fuel , 70 L water , 9 days .
great trip .

Very cool!

We will be hitting mostly the Dunes rather than sabkhas so will be burning a lot of fuel.

 

[NM Frontier]

@renago - Very awesome pictures

 

[John McVicker]

@renago All I can say is WOW,

Extreme kudos to you and your wife.

 

[Kofoed]

View attachment 2164430View attachment 2164431View attachment 2164436View attachment 2164437View attachment 2164438

Empties pointing direction to more fuel?

I can't imagine driving that mileage in dunes...wild

 

[renago]

The arrow is the direction to secret air strip during WW1
Called 8 Bells .
All tins are from shell .
Fuel is still a long way from there .

Reango

 

[TonyP]

@renago awesome pics. Look forward to trying that in a few years.
What was your plan if things went wrong? Big mechanical or medical issue? Satellite phone?

 

[renago]

@renago awesome pics. Look forward to trying that in a few years.
What was your plan if things went wrong? Big mechanical or medical issue? Satellite phone?

 

[renago]

If we had a big problem with the car , the plan was :
Stay still, and calm save as much energy as possible .
We had a satellite phone , iridium , and some friends , nearby , 500/700 km away .....
In May years of Desert trips , we never had any failure .
But planning was very detailed , and took 3-6 months .

Bye Renago

 

[CBdeJ]

I'd do a test run; out and back (say half tank out, half tank back with a couple of jerry cans for safety) in sand conditions similar to what you'll encounter to get a better idea of where your consumption is going to end up.

 

[adashoe]

It's alrea

I'd do a test run; out and back (say half tank out, half tank back with a couple of jerry cans for safety) in sand conditions similar to what you'll encounter to get a better idea of where your consumption is going to end up.

Already done. I took two marine tanks

 

[renago]

Any update on your empty quarter trip ?

 

[1HaytchZed]

Update?

 

[Ol Yeller]

Just stumbled on this, wow serious trekking!

 

[adashoe]

Apologies for being so quiet.

Yes we've successfully completed the 1200km crossing of the Empty quarter from Najran in the South-westerly most point to Shubaytha oil fields in Liwa (UAE). Sadly we were granted permission to cross the border there so had to drive another 500km round trip to the official border with the UAE.

Most impressive was MAX CALDERAN who walked the entire distance unaided. We carried his food and water rations but he slept by himself and made his way via GPS during the day and navigating the stars during the night, averaging 72km per day during the first 10 days or so.

We ended up carrying a LOT! as is illustrated by the picture below. Lots and lots of water. Will in the 80 series actually had a 120L water tank in addition to his potable water ration.

This give you the perspective of the problem. You can see Ian Huggins (team lead) walking the bowl looking for a way out.