hmmm
looking at this some more
how cool would it be to go to Kenya
TECHNICAL CORNER
BASIC RHINO CHARGE PREPARATIONS
This is the first of a series of articles that I think will help novice competitors to prepare their vehicles and selves for the Charge. I will try to cover one or two topics in each edition which I hope will be a guide for those less experienced Chargers.
Basically there are four things which are really important to completing the Charge;
* Do not try to be too ambitious
* A reliable car
* Good navigator
* And above all, a lot of luck!
Lets start with some vehicle fundamentals. Any half decent 4 x 4 will do. Avoid jalopies, the Charge is full of them and they fail because they don’t get to the end due to chronic unreliability. Some of the softer 4 x 4 vehicles are very capable. I have competed in Nissan 4 x 4 Pick Ups, and Pajeros with great success. You don’t necessarily need heavy duty Land Rovers and the like to get round. A host of 4 x 4 pick ups or double cabs are perfect! Even the venerable SUZUKI 410 is a great vehicle. I am not talking about winning the event - that’s a different ball game which I will cover in further articles. The team should comprise of some competent scouts to assist in finding easier routes.
The navigator, when plotting the route should seriously avoid trying to “straight line” the navigation, he should pay particular attention to the maps contours and roads, avoiding as many steep gradients as possible. A fine balance between “straight lining” and visiting ALL the controls is the conundrum; this is the most exciting reason for competing in this wonderful event. As a beginner, the sense of achievement of having visited ALL controls is exceedingly gratifying. THERE IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TEAM OUT TO WIN AND THE TEAM WANTING TO COMPLETE ALL THE CONTROLS.
N.B I am advising the latter in this article.
BASIC EQUIPMENT:
A well prepared 4 x 4, cross ply 8 ply minimum tires, fitted the new tubes with short nozzles and with good quality tire sealant, max inflation 20 psi, even retreads are ok. Good quality rope, excellent tow straps are available, to pull out of tricky situations, a hand winch will come in handy for the adventurous. Avoid winching, go around, its very time consuming, a panga, a saw, first aid box, fire extinguisher, plenty of water and re-hydrate, Abro epoxy rolls, break it, knead it, and plug the hole, useful if you spring an oil leak or worse a water leak in the radiator, set of tools, two spare tires, puncture repair kit and levers, a GPS, and seat belts. Cover the radiator grille with a fine mesh to keep out the rubbish from entering the radiator and don’t forget to clear the rubbish periodically during the event!
My advise is not to carry a full complement of 6 crew, navigator and three others not four, too many heads banged will cause tempers to flare. Give the crew plenty of space in the back, fit lots of straps and grab handles. Remove the rear doors if you wish, but the dust can be serious.
In the next feature, I will go into some preparation detail, engine, suspension etc, etc…
Have fun, raise lots of money, be warned this event is an OPIATE, you will be back!
Rob Collinge,
Chief Executive Officer
Romageco Kenya Limited
