Scrapheap Challenge s07e07 Episode Script
Power Rower
LISA: Stroke! Stroke! Stroke! This week we've set our teams an awesome challenge.
Stroke! Welcome to Scrapheap Challenge, where two teams of fearless fabricators will be conjuring up amazing contraptions from our world of wrecks.
This week we'll be staging our very own rusty regatta.
We'll be asking our teams to draw on all their boating brains to build madcap, motorised rowing machines.
ROBERT: First up are the Anoraks.
Captain Marc and team mates Lyndon and Andy, three off-road radicals who zipped through the last round in their six-wheeled sand racer.
LISA: Next up are Maximus, a team of rickshaw designers led by Captain Paul and ably assisted by laid-back scavengers Trickett and Dennis who pushed their pedals to the metal and bounced to victory in our Dam Buster Spectacular.
(ALL CHEER) ROBERT: Anoraks! ANORAKS: Yes! Maximus! Yes! Welcome, teams, and get ready to impersonate the four oarsmen of the apocalypse (ALL LAUGH) as we ask you to pull together and build wake-creating, water-churning power-rowers.
(ALL LAUGH) LISA: Oh, yes, teams.
To power your way through to the Scrapheap semifinals, you'll need to notch up the knots and scull across the water in double-quick time.
ROBERT: OK, teams, you know the score.
When the gong sounds, you have just 10 hours.
Anoraks, are you ready to speed your four-by-oar to victory? Yes! Maximus, are you ready to row your rickshaw downriver? Yes! Think so.
Wait, wait, wait for it.
Wait for it, teams.
(GONG RESOUNDS) Go! Go! LISA: To row Maximus in the right direction, we've roped in Jim Bond.
Jim is a skilled mechanical sculptor whose designs can automate physical movement mechanically.
Hi.
Hi.
Morning, Jim.
ROBERT: The Anoraks' expert is certainly no landlubber.
Rob Austin is a marine engineer who runs courses in maritime engineering.
Alright, I see that, er couple of key issues here.
It's gotta float.
Gotta float.
And we've gotta get that oar action.
What sort of boat should we go for? It needs to be long to fit in We gotta fit four of us Fit four oars.
I was wondering whether we can't get ourselves some small sort of vehicle, something that's got some nice axles, that, moving those oars, around like this, to actually get that movement.
OK, so on the on the oars, are we gonna have a standard action like that, or are we actually gonna try and be clever and actually try and bring them in and do it or will we just wobble them around, basically? I think we're gonna try and be clever.
Be clever.
Cool.
So that we win.
I think it's rowlocks, actually.
Rowlocks is the answer.
Yeah.
LISA: The Anoraks intend to build a rowing machine powered by a car engine with four wheels that will act as cams turning the oars.
These oars will be mounted on pivots known as rowlocks to create the rowing action required to propel their craft.
What they must make sure of is that all wheels are turning in the same direction, otherwise all they'll have created is a giant splashing machine.
Try and keep our weight as low as possible.
Because, obviously, we've got four large people, engines, whatever That's it.
We don't wanna sink.
I kind of reckon, yeah, with the oars, if we've got them all working, doing their thing, like that, it's gotta pull So, you've got a cam running, with an arm going backwards and forwards Yeah.
and working against all the oars.
Maybe with a shaft going through a pivot point here, we'll get this sort of twisting motion.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So we're looking at sort of, basically, a diesel engine But, critically, the engine needs to be really slow.
Yeah.
LISA: Maximus plan to drop a low-rewing engine into a hull, powering a single cam with a reciprocating rod much like that of a steam train.
By mounting the rods through a pivot point, they hope to create a teardrop shape and replicate a realistic rowing stroke.
They'll need to make sure that they get their calculations right otherwise they might end up pulling and pushing with their stroke and going nowhere.
Sounds easy, doesn't it? Does, doesn't it? ROBERT: With their designs looking shipshape, it's time for the captains to get their scavengers out on the heap.
Marc, do you wanna knock up a bit of a wish list? The fundamental thing is the beginnings of a boat.
No Transit roofs.
We need a hull.
Lifeboat.
Lifeboat, yep.
Rubber ring.
We need a power plant.
Something really simple.
Diesel engine.
Off you go.
Let's go.
(STARTS BIKE) LISA: Both our teams are out scavenging at a rate of knots in the search for a hull for the mechanically powered rowing boats.
LISA: Oh, my word! I've never seen one go like that.
We're here! We got here first! (LAUGHS WILDLY) (GRUNTS) I've never seen three grown men dive on a boat so quickly.
Do you think you might wanna use this? I think Um ROBERT: It looks like the Anoraks have had a stroke of luck.
But it seems Captain Marc has other ideas.
Lyndon, we don't want that.
We want the yellow thing to your right.
(LAUGHS) Put it back.
Put it back.
ROBERT: It seems Marc thinks that an old metal conveyor belt is a far more suitable hull.
That? (LAUGHS) That'll float.
Yeah, that'll float, won't it? a little steel.
Bring both things here and we'll have a five-minute discussion and then let you on your way.
ROBERT: To appease Lyndon, Marc agrees to have a look at the boat.
And whilst the Anoraks decide if it's a yellow yacht or a yellow submarine LISA: Maximus have found a far more obvious method of flotation.
Perfect! These are really cool.
They are.
(LAUGHS) I think we've got the better thing here.
They might've beaten us to the other, but This is business.
Trickett, how you doing? We just had a major scrummage for that black boat, but then went and found other boats which we reckon are gonna be much, much better, man.
Well done.
Hold on, Dennis.
Whoa.
What you got? Cement mixer.
Ah, top, man! Top.
LISA: To replicate the motion of rowing, Maximus want to use a slow-turning engine such as a cement mixer.
The low revolutions of such a machine will allow a longer power stroke and therefore create more forward thrust.
Too fast a revolution and the oars won't be in the water long enough to propel the boat forward.
However, such an engine has only one speed.
If it's not powerful enough, they won't be able to increase the revolutions in order to go faster.
(DUCK QUACKS AND SIGHS) Stuff your end in.
We'll just chuck it on.
(LAUGHS) That's gotta be the most enthusiastic, fastest start we've ever had.
We almost got there, but not quite.
To a scavenge.
What we've found here, though, is better because it's gonna give us a more stable structure to work with.
And you've got a cement mixer, which is obviously exactly what you need.
Don't know.
Have a look.
Want me to hold it while you drive in it? Yeah, if you could give us a hand.
Excellent.
You seem to have found nearly everything in the first five minutes! Well, you know.
Have you got any experience of rowing things? I used to be in a rowing club in Bath, actually.
So you know what you're talking about? No, not really.
(BOTH LAUGH) I thought you said you'd found something good.
(ALL LAUGH) This is much better than the other one.
Let's just flip it over.
ROBERT: The Anoraks' captain, Marc, is still convinced that the boat hull should be scuttled.
No way in a million years that that will take OK, we're gonna be up here somewhere.
Gonna wind up with steel frames.
Let's get that yellow thing.
Let's do it.
LISA: Remarkably, the large yellow steel conveyor belt seems to be more suitable for the task ahead.
The smaller boat is unlikely to float with the weight of an engine, two axles and all four team members in it, whilst the yellow monster should displace enough water to stay afloat, if they can patch up all the holes.
You must remember these.
How'd you open the bonnet? ROBERT: Still not convinced by their new choice of hull, Lyndon and Andy have found a welcome distraction.
Looks like a car, does it? Yep.
I think it's got everything.
It's even got a new exhaust.
ROBERT: This old Morris Minor might be the perfect power supply for the Anoraks' racy rower.
So it's time for Lyndon to rev up his quad.
They're towing something.
Broken the tow rope.
Is it moving? Yeah, but it's dragging everything with it.
Brilliant.
(BANG) We got some of it! It's the fastest bumper in the world.
(BOTH LAUGH) Whoa! WHOA! (LAUGHS) Come back! OK.
Slowly.
(LAUGHS) We got her, boys.
It's the district nurse! Who wants their pulse taken? Er, no er LISA: If that Morris engine is a runner, it could give the Anoraks the edge over Maximus, who have only a small and decrepit cement mixer to power their craft.
JIM: We've just decided to put the engine in the middle so that it doesn't all tip over to one side.
We're gonna keep a central crank down the middle like on a train wheel.
So that's driving two sets of oars and we take a drive off each side to run a separate mechanism for the actual oar.
Um, it's quite complicated.
It's not an easy build, is it? No, it's quite tricky.
Now, have you had any experience of doing any rowing, because you live on a boat, don't you? Yeah, er, I I do, but my boat's a bit different from this.
But since seeing this, I think I might convert my boat to, um yeah, oar-powered.
(LAUGHS) Yeah, right.
But Trickett was in the ladies' rowing club, though.
Paulos, can you hear me? Yep.
Alright, alright.
I'm having a chat.
(MOUTHS) (PAUL ON RADIO) Trickett, what do you want? Well, we found a cement mixer with a Lister engine in it.
It'd be perfect.
ROBERT: The larger mixer will certainly give Maximus more torque to propel their craft.
Brilliant, bring it up.
ROBERT: But will it be a match for the Anoraks' Morris Minor engine? It's a bit heavy.
We might need a bit of a hand.
Right.
We'll be right down.
OK.
LISA: With only eight hours left, the Anoraks really need to get working on that Morris engine.
But the bonnet seems to be getting in the way.
Guess we don't know.
I've found the bonnet, Paul.
It's down here.
No! (MARC ON RADIO) to have a chat with you.
(MOTOR STARTS) (LAUGHS) There we go.
That's all we need.
That's out of juice, but that's it.
Morning, chaps.
Hi there.
Oh, that's a very lovely old motor.
Look at that.
A classic.
Look at that.
Quality.
Quality car, isn't it? It is.
Now, I'm a little bit I am a little bit confused because there's obviously been the I mean, to my great amusement, the boat coming in and then that being rejected, and the huge piece of yellow steel with more holes in it than you can poke a stick at being chosen instead.
It's the buoyancy problem that we've really got.
Four big blokes.
Yeah.
Morris Minor engine.
Loads of gears and axles and that.
Yeah, gears, axles, all sorts of things in there.
But so that's your power plant, then? Yep, and we've got a shaft connecting two rear axles together.
Right.
And we always are in planning to have one set of oars in the water at any one time.
And they're not gonna be going like that? No.
Yeah, so the front ones will be in the water Tssh-tssh-tssh.
Eases the load on the engine.
LISA: The Morris Minor engine will give the Anoraks the lightweight power supply that they need to power the two axles.
However, even running in first gear, the axles will turn too fast, creating a whisk effect which could prove catastrophic.
MAN: Oh, nah! LISA: To solve the problem, the Anoraks plan to gear down the axles via a chain and sprocket, thus reducing the revolutions.
I also noticed there's been a slight change in the whole line-up of the team.
Yeah, we've got Andy joining us because, unfortunately, poor old Geoff couldn't be here, but he's here in spirit.
He's very clean still.
Yes.
Yeah.
He's not done a lot yet.
Yeah.
He's lost a bit of weight since last time.
(ALL LAUGH) Look at that! It's perfect.
ROBERT: Now that Maximus have dragged their mighty mixer into the build area, doubts about the buoyancy of the pedalos are starting to surface.
So we're just gonna mount the cement mixer between the two thingies? Yeah, are they gonna float with all that on it? I hope so.
ROBERT: But, ever the optimists, Maximus press on with the original plan.
To construct all their oars, cranks and rods, Maximus will need a small mountain of metal tubing.
Oops.
I could probably do with a hand here! Yeah, I'll be back in a bit.
Or a helicopter! One helicopter coming up.
ROBERT: They also need to dramatically reduce the weight of their mixer.
(CHEERS) Yippee! Get off! Fantastic.
Let's put a fire in it and get a barbie going.
Yeah.
(ALL LAUGH) That was it.
There you go.
LISA: Having got their engine out, and cut off the axles it's time for some spring cleaning in the Anoraks' camp to clear a bit of room for their dainty hull.
Maximus's Dennis has made a remarkable discovery.
I've just found a boat in the yard.
Have you? There's a boat out there.
'Cause we were thinking we need something bigger.
They're not gonna do it.
Yeah.
Come and have a look.
Perfect for what we need, I think.
How come we never saw that? How come Um, Dennis Eh? How come we never spotted this, then? I dunno.
It's even got a full tank in it! LISA: To help us fathom the principles of rowing, our judge this week is the appropriately named Richard Carless.
Not only is Richard a marine safety expert, but he also recently smashed the long-distance record for rowing the length of the Thames.
Now, Richard, I know you've done a fair amount of rowing yourself - like, an alarming amount.
Yes, I've done a bit.
So you presumably understand the basic requirements of what's needed when a human being rows.
Well, that's right.
Yeah.
And a human being is, um can adapt to the water conditions, the balance - they're obviously gonna be very fixed.
So if it goes over to one side, you may have one set of blades up in the air and the other one down Right.
Getting the height for the blades as well is quite interesting.
Essentially, you only need to cover the spoon.
That's all that needs to go into the water.
That needs to be in the water.
Yeah.
They need to know roughly where the waterline is so they can Absolutely.
Yeah.
oars could be right up in the air.
It would be good if they make it adjustable.
There's a lot of issues you've gotta cover.
The hull is actually the fundamental one, really.
To give them their due, the Anoraks have spent about the last two hours trying to drag what they consider to be a hull.
They obviously live in a fantasy world.
I don't think anybody else would look at that and go, "Mmm.
Hull for a ship.
" Well, it's got the potential there.
I suppose it has.
It's vaguely box-like.
It's certainly got the length.
I'm gonna have to press you now, who you think has got the best chance.
Well, I think Maximus have, er are looking good.
They seem to be choosing a new hull.
Right.
I think they've realised that the pedalos are a little bit too small for the weight.
It seems like not a bad choice because they have got a hull, as in something that might float, whereas the Anoraks have a massive piece of yellow steel that is just holes.
(BOTH LAUGH) No? LISA: Now they have a traditional hull, it looks like everything is shipshape for Maximus.
We're gonna have the engine at the front, then? Yeah.
No.
That's the engine at the back.
That's the engine at the back.
LISA: They just need to fathom where they should put their cement mixer.
Have we got the oars go? Goes that way.
Yeah.
We're looking at that being the front of the boat, then, yeah? No, no.
That's the back.
We're putting the engi So that's the front? No.
No, that's the front.
That's the back.
That's the back.
Right.
OK.
I'm not convinced.
You're not? At the moment.
(LAUGHS) Do you want a cup of tea? A cold drink? ROBERT: Whilst Maximus have a nice, long brew and mull over the orientation of their cement mixer, the Anoraks are about to experience a bit of good fortune.
Oh, it's just class, isn't it? It's got a wheel on there.
Couldn't get any better than that.
ROBERT: The Morris axles are an ideal fit, and the wheels which which drive the oars hang perfectly over the edges of their hull.
Teams, you have six hours remaining, teams.
Six hours, thank you.
Whoo-hoo! That's a bit more solid.
LISA: Their Swiss-cheese hull is still a worry, but Lyndon thinks he may have found a solution to the Anoraks' buoyancy problem.
ROB: Oh, flippin' heck! It's gonna take a bit of filling to sort that out.
It's not my fault! This could look quite professional.
Yeah, it could.
ROB: As a submarine.
OK, lads, come on, let's go.
ROBERT: It's halfway through the day and it's the first time the rest of Maximus have seen Dennis's boat.
Dennis, how did you not see this before? Well, I walked past it.
I walked past it.
I must've done.
Whoa! That'll do for the time being, won't it? We don't want it in there, 'cause it'll be in the way.
It's a lot more glamorous than those pedalos.
I wouldn't have been seen dead in the in them.
LISA: With their boat prepped and ready, it's time for Maximus to get working on the cement mixer.
There you go, Captain Paul.
LISA: But first, another cup of tea.
put between there Hello, Anoraks.
Hello.
I don't wanna um state the obvious, but this is a very big, metallic, holey-looking thing.
Yeah.
What on earth are you using this for? Because it's all there was.
ROB: Yeah.
There's enough buoyancy in it.
It's just it's probably gonna sit quite low in the water.
But we want the bows up so that it'll plane.
Weight mostly to the stern.
So how's how's this all gonna work up? How are you gonna put Well, we've got, um, a shaft that's gonna go between there.
Engine, gearbox, and then a chain drive between the gearbox, up to a shaft up here.
The only thing that worries me slightly is I heard the word 'chain drive'.
You gonna be able ensure that yours works as it's supposed to? As Anoraks, we did make a firm rule that we'd never, ever, EVER use chain drives.
But we're doing them this time.
ROBERT: Chain drives and a hull riddled with holes.
These Anoraks certainly like a challenge.
(MOTOR CHUGS) Way-hey! Beautiful.
Whoo! Look at that Look at that! It's the perfect speed.
Yeah.
Oh, that is brilliant, isn't it? LISA: Their cement mixer has the perfect slow revolutions that Maximus are after for their drive mechanism and to save a huge amount of time, they can use the mixer's drum as the main cam that will drive their oars.
Let's just hope they turn it in the right direction.
WOMAN: Other way! (MIXER CHUGS) Sounds like an old Mississippi (LAUGHS) Sounds like a proper boat engine, doesn't it? It does, yeah.
Afternoon, gentlemen.
Ah, good.
Is it level? No.
No, OK.
(ALL LAUGH) I'm slightly intrigued by this whole project today, but mostly by the fact that you've got a cement mixer here which must weigh half a ton.
Can't you see this is this is the heart of a boat? (CLEARS THROAT) Now you tell me, obviously, it is.
Yeah.
But so this drives something - this.
That's coming off, or is that gonna stay on? No, that's staying there.
That's staying on?! Yeah.
That's that's the drive.
So as that turns round It drives a central shaft.
Like on a train.
Like a train, yeah.
Excellent.
It's taken us a while to work that out.
And will your oars do a circular motion, or will they do a sort of Slightly elliptical sort of movement, yeah.
Perfect rowing motion.
So what is the next thing at the moment.
What are you constructing? It's the frames.
And then you've gotta And the drive.
And the oars.
And the oars.
And the boat.
Yeah.
And the boat.
So, everything, really.
We haven't started yet, really.
We've got a good collection of bits, though, and we're ready to go.
LISA: Nearly halfway through the build, and the Anoraks are positioning their engine.
What? Lower the engine down.
LISA: Andy is starting to put together their chain drive.
Prickly wheel goes on there.
Weld, weld, weld.
Chain, chain, chain.
Off-he-comey.
Cut your leg off.
LISA: But Captain Marc looks a worried man.
Don't worry.
Hold on.
(LAUGHS) Right.
Stop.
That's twice you've done that now.
Get him mid-stroke.
(LAUGHS) ROBERT: Maximus have decided it's time to put down their teacups and start to build something.
First on the list are the paddles, which need to be mounted on some well-crafted rowlocks, whilst Trickett preps their mixer.
Look at that! Perfectly balanced.
ROBERT: Maximus have a perfect working hull.
And a working engine to drive their oars.
Unfortunately, with less than half the build left, their boat is still sat outside the build area.
And their engine is a very heavy cement mixer that's seen better days.
But the team seem fairly relaxed with their situation.
Lovely oars.
(LAUGHS) (BLOWS NOSE) Hard to bolt (CONTINUES LOUDLY BLOWING) So are you still going in for the Olympics with that? Yeah.
Yeah? Still on the team? LISA: In the Anoraks' build, expert Rob is busy constructing the clever oars that'll propel their Morris Minor power-rower.
We're about to get our first articulation.
LISA: Whilst the rest of the Anoraks are all-hands-on-deck patching up their holey hull.
Can we have a group hug for a second? Lyndon? Rob? We're making one decision, of where to cut it.
ROBERT: It seems like the Anoraks are about to make a rather hasty decision.
Before we cut it, are we happy that's where the engine's gonna be? I think we want it a lot nearer the centre line.
I'm l'm with that.
ROBERT: Rather than patching up every hole in their leaky liner, they've decided to shorten their hull by slicing off the front end.
LISA: Their boat will float as long as the water they displace weighs as much as they do.
By cutting their hull almost in half, they may not displace enough water for their weight and sink.
Let's hope the Anoraks are happy with their rather reckless decision, because there's no turning back now.
Well, I think before we go anywhere near the boat with this, we need to secure this in position.
OK, go for it, then.
ROBERT: Maximus must make sure that the cement mixer is mounted precisely within their oar system, otherwise they won't be rowing everywhere.
It's all good.
That's it.
ROBERT: Spirit levels are for amateurs.
Easy peasy.
Alright.
Teams, you have four hours remaining.
Four hours remaining, teams.
I thank you.
Four hours.
Four hours.
Yeah, no trouble.
He's havin' a laugh! Oh.
LISA: Four hours to go and Maximus finally get their boat in.
Shall we just manhandle this in? Well, shall we give it a go? It is uphill.
We are Maximus.
We've got no chance.
LISA: They may be Maximus, but that's a big boat.
(ALL GRUNT) Come on, boys! (GRUNTS) Shall we get the quad? Yeah.
Oh! Yep.
Whoa! It's in.
In a bit more? No, we can work on it perfectly there.
Maximus, it seems are on the point of almost mounting their power-drive unit into their hull.
It's taken a while to for them to get it things together.
But I think we're gonna see some progress very shortly.
Because I haven't really seen any physical evidence of how the Maximus' oars are g I mean, I've seen the oars, but I haven't seen how they actually move yet.
The spoons are looking very good.
Yeah.
They're very large.
They are, aren't they? Lt'll be quite interesting.
It could be very hard gearing.
Do you mean in the sense that it's hard for the engine to move it at all? Very hard, yeah.
Absolutely.
It's just a stiff old machine.
Right.
The Anoraks, I, actually was quite impressed with their rowing system.
It looks really good.
Well, I think the actual mechanics of the rowing system are looking quite good and, er, and very hopeful.
I was quite surprised.
They've cut the boat down.
To my mind, I think it's probably been cut down a little bit too much.
Having the extra length is no problem at all.
It'll help their buoyancy.
Yes.
It does seem a little bit rash, doesn't it? At the moment, are you still feeling that Maximus have the edge? Yes, I think they probably do, on balance.
Anything to make you smile, Dennis.
Who's good at maths? I'm not.
LISA: Now that they've cut the front of their hull off, the Anoraks are starting to worry about their buoyancy.
This is the bottom dimension of the boat only.
Yeah, I need to get it into feet for me.
(LAUGHS) What do you think the hull weighs? 800-weight, something like that.
We'll have a quick jump into the '70s, shall we? What's that Could have a '70s haircut.
I'm about 15 stone.
(ALL LAUGH) So what's that in kilos? This is like trying to do two different languages, isn't it? How many pounds is in st a kilo a stone? 14 x 2.
2.
So 15.
14 fo No.
What's that? Oh, God.
I'm no good at maths.
Do it by the 10, then add it.
So We don't really care.
We're alright, aren't we? They they use computers and calculators all day.
We just use hammer and chisels.
This is about 100 kilos.
100 kilos.
So we're under a tonne.
Theoretically, it should float.
LISA: Well, I'm convinced.
It is a good sign.
Good sign.
Good sign.
So we need to start bringing that down, don't we? OK, yeah.
Hey, you know what, boys? This is starting to look quite proper.
Oh, that board's gonna go.
Will it sink now? There's a hole in it.
We could always put a Maximus sticker over it, couldn't we? (LAUGHS) Trickett sunk the boat.
ROBERT: Maximus are planning to run their oars through holes in the side of their boat.
The position of their engine in the hull will determine where these holes will be.
I kind of think that, you know, getting this as low as possible is paramount, really.
OK, 'cause, to the waterline here Mmm.
is 50.
ROBERT: If the holes are too low, then they'll be below the waterline.
If they position the engine too high, the boat will be unstable.
It's not that much room to play with, is it? No, it's not.
Let's just put it at 200 and then the oars come through 100 down.
They'll come in 100mm lower than there.
That's our sort of safe area, isn't it? Yeah.
You reckon you're sort of happy with that? Yeah.
(LAUGHS) He's not sure, are you, Jim? I can see, I'm telling you.
(ALL LAUGH) Ooh, good afternoon, gentlemen.
Good afternoon.
Looks like there's a lot of serious discussion going on here.
Yeah (ALL LAUGH) Just a little bit.
Well, I'm impressed with some things.
Are you? Yeah, because there's these things.
The colour.
The colour is lovely.
The colour is brilliant.
There's a certain shortening that's taken place since I last saw it.
Yep.
And that's been calculated, has it? Yep.
It's calculated to float at 400mm draft.
We might have bets on it, as to where it does actually float to.
(ALL LAUGH) We're running a book down the side.
About there.
(ALL LAUGH) About there, is it?! Maximus, it looks like a proper boat! Eh.
We can have a, er, sort of rotary demonstration.
Excellent.
That goes round.
Slightly faster.
That goes round.
Drives the crank.
Pushes a big arm down the middle.
Right.
And they send other cranks to the oars.
LISA: Maximus's cement mixer cam will power a large reciprocating rod which will, in turn, power two dog-leg cams.
Each of these cams will power another rod that will link to the individual oars.
To replicate the mechanics of rowing, these four rods will run through a pivot creating a teardrop motion which will dip the oars in and out of the water.
The oars can extend - if they're not dipping in the water enough, we can make them longer.
Yeah, and if if extending them or bringing them in doesn't work, then we're just gonna bend them.
Steve Redgrave never had oars like that, but hey (BLOWS RASPBERRY) He never had a cement mixer, though.
You are the most chilled-out team we've ever had on Scrapheap.
Do you ever get stressed about anything? Mmm.
No.
Not really, no.
Try not to.
Yeah.
Yeah, we have run out of tea again.
And I might just get a strop about that.
ROBERT: With three hours remaining, the Anoraks are full-speed ahead.
Andy is cutting up reams of plate to patch up their hull.
Lyndon is designing a bow for their boat.
And Captain Marc and expert Rob are beginning to assemble the flexible oars that will hopefully propel their craft to victory.
I reckon cut it I'll just go and cut it back to that line there.
ROBERT: If it floats.
LISA: Maximus are cruising along nicely.
Dennis is fastening down their mammoth mixer.
Fire! Woo-hoo! I wanna welcome fires here today.
And Trickett is beginning to design the dogleg cranks that will turn their oars, leaving Captain Paul to take care of the most important job.
Dunno why I get to make the tea.
I'm the captain! (TUTS) Typical.
You know, Robert, I love Maximus.
They're so atypical of a Scrapheap team in that they just don't get stressed.
They refuse to get stressed.
If they win this and come back, we have to throw something at them.
If it was a nice day, we could put hoses round the build, just to make it rain on them.
Yes.
Set fire to stuff, things like that.
I think even that wouldn't wind them up.
They wouldn't mind.
The machine they've built is completely bonkers.
It's a huge blue boat, verging on a cruise liner.
It's often a fantasy of teams, isn't it, when they're building some hideous thing, that they always say, "We'll sit out on the poop deck and have tea.
" And they don't do it, strangely.
Funny that.
They never get the chance.
They're too busy pumping water out, trying to stay afloat.
The old Anoraks, they've got an interesting combination of massive enthusiasm and confidence, which is in Lyndon and Rob, their expert, and, I think, fear, just basic, pure fear, with the other two team members.
Lyndon was going, "Yes, we've worked it all out.
"It's all gonna float.
No problem at all.
" Nice sort of macho nerd attitude.
The others were going like that - "There's no chance this thing will float for more than a minute.
" But actually, their rowing oar thing, actually, is really simple and they don't go together, they'll be going like this.
I'll see if I can do it.
It goes It's really difficult to do.
(LAUGHS) You can't do it.
The human body cannot do it.
It's that complex.
You might wanna stop there, Rob.
You're looking a bit silly.
It goes like that (LAUGHS) LISA: Fortunately for the Anoraks, expert Rob has a mechanical rather than human solution for the oar movement.
His clever design of cams, flexible joints and pivots, should replicate the human motion of rowing.
The oars attach to the rotating wheel via a universal joint.
This will allow it to pivot evenly on the rowlock positioned on the outrigger.
To allow the oar to dip in and out of the water, the shaft of the oar is telescopic, allowing it to lengthen during the power stroke and shorten during the recovery.
Without this clever design, the oars would more than likely break the rowlock off.
(CRIES) ROBERT: With the oars not far from being finished, it's time to weld on the outriggers that will hold their rowlocks.
It moved when you started setting fire to my hand.
(LAUGHS) ROBERT: It's also time to fix the chain drive which will power both axles.
(IN WELSH ACCENT) Ooh, that's lovely.
(BOTH LAUGH) Teams, I'm here to tell you you have two hours remaining! We're running low on time, guys.
(LAUGHS) Never.
That doesn't look too shabby.
LISA: Whereas the Anoraks are using the axles off a Morris Minor, Maximus are constructing identical dogleg cams to turn their oars.
So one side's the central crank, innit? Yeah.
ROBERT: It's vital that the diameter of the dogleg cams are identical to the main cement mixer cam so that everything turns in unison.
You wanted a tight fit, didn't you? Yeah, yeah, definitely.
There's two over there.
Get it up against the tight bit and belt it.
A bit more on the weld.
That's it.
Here you go.
As the build drifts into darkness, it's time to ask our sculling supremo, Richard Carless, if our teams are rowing in the right direction.
I think we could almost now admit that the Anoraks' machine does look more boat-like, doesn't it? Oh, it definitely looks more boat-like.
Do you think it's gonna float? I think it'll float.
I think it's gonna be quite noisy, because they've got a lot of metal against metal.
So they'll probably have to grease the rowlocks.
I mean, if they start out at the highest speed the oars can go, they're gonna create rather a lot of splashing.
Yeah, they'd be like a whisk.
They'll just whip up the water into a foam.
So they need to get the boat running a little bit first.
They have the potential, then, of going fairly fast, do you think? I think so, yes.
If it all works right.
On the other side, the Maximus machine just looks fantastic.
To have a cement mixer inside a yacht.
Absolutely, yeah.
Not something you see every day.
The cement mixer will probably run at a set speed.
And so they are restricted to a one-speed action, but they have got very long oars and they've got very big spoons.
Because the pressure on those things is gonna be fairly large.
It will be quite a lot, yes.
So have you changed your mind, or are you still with Maximus on I think I think Maximus still have it for me.
Definitely gonna be a race, isn't it? Oh, hopefully.
I'm looking forward to it.
It's that it's that time of the evening.
It's getting close, isn't it? How's it all going? It's going really well, I think.
We've managed to get the obviously, it looking like a boat now.
The last few bits are all coming together nicely, I think.
It looks more patched up and less holey than it did before.
Yeah, it looks more like a boat than a hollow thing.
Than a sieve.
Yes.
And how fast do you think it's gonna go? (LAUGHS) I don't know.
Do you think it's gonna float? It will definitely float.
Brilliant.
It will definitely float.
Ah ye ah, I don't know, actually.
Yeah, probably.
Just a quick word.
I can see you are quite busy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I thought you'd all be sitting around now.
Still taking on tea and biscuits, but, er Have you thought about speed? I mean, I don't know how fast a cement mixer turns, but it's not terribly fast, is it? No, it's not very quick, but what we've got is quite a long stroke.
That should be able to pull you.
Each stroke is gonna be a quality stroke.
Well, that's brilliant.
I'll let you get on.
See you later on.
Alright.
Cheers.
It's a charming job, innit? Ah! Hang on.
Oh, that's good.
Arggh! Teams, you have one hour remaining.
Final adjustments.
LISA: With one hour remaining, it's the Anoraks who are looking the more shipshape, as Captain Marc begins to attach their oars.
But it's all hands on deck for Maximus.
There's an awful lot of pivots, rods and rowlocks to attach to their sturdy cement mixer before their oars can be mounted.
Timber! Boat renovations by Maximus.
Come on.
LISA: Even the tea breaks are shorter.
Maximus - or Team Chill - as we I think we should refer to them, absolute chaos, pandemonium, things on fire.
Nobody's the slightest bit frazzled at all.
They're all absolutely fine.
Oh, I love you, boys.
You know, Maximus have a boat that is designed to slip through the water easily.
So they have that advantage.
But they've probably got an absolute top limit to how fast their oars can go.
Cement mixer fast.
(LAUGHS) You get some very fast cement mixers these days.
Turbo-charged, with go-faster stripes.
Yeah, and whereas the Anoraks might have the edge of speed simply because their oars can go faster.
But the danger for them is starting off.
If they start off fast, they'll just froth the water up and they won't move at all.
The other danger is that they're basically in a brick.
Yeah.
And I've got a sneaking suspicion that the Anoraks might surprise us.
I'll put a penny on the Anoraks.
Yes.
No, 5p.
I'll go crazy.
Hold it still.
LISA: It may well be a brick, but Robert's money might be safe.
With the holes patched up and their oar system attached, the Anoraks can spend the final minutes of the build adding their rudder and extra buoyancy.
Alright.
That ought to be about it.
ROBERT: But with time ticking, has the pressure finally got to Trickett? Get out of my way.
Ooh-eh! Get out of my way.
Get out of my way! It's not gonna be a hole below the waterline? Um, no.
It's gonna be about I'll tell you what, that looks really professional.
ROBERT: With the holes for their oars cut out, it's a final dash against the clock to fit their paddles and rowlocks.
Little bit more.
Little bit more.
OK, teams, the tide is high and your time is up! LISA: Yes, teams, rest those weary heads, because when the sun is over the yardarm, you'll have to race your rusty rowers.
Well done, teams! It's been a great build.
Fantastic build, guys.
Well done.
Well done.
Whoo! Really good.
This is it.
Sink or swim.
LISA: It's the moment of truth for the Anoraks as their crazy conveyor is lowered into the lake.
Is it too late to mention I can't swim? I wonder if they're worried.
We are taking on huge, huge, huge water.
Yee-haa! It might be sinking, but it's floating.
LISA: A bit of frantic bailing should keep the Anoraks' boat afloat.
Yes! So it's time to launch the cement mixer.
We're afloat! Beautiful.
Lovely.
That's perfect.
OK.
ROBERT: To test the poke of our team's stroke, we're gonna give them three attempts to finish our regatta race.
They must power their craft by oars alone around the buoy and back through the finish line.
The team that completes a heat in the fastest time will win through to the Scrapheap semifinals.
Now, then, Dennis, could you go and ballast back the other way? LISA: As the teams make the final adjustment to their maritime monsters, our judge Richard Carless has one last chance to back the winner.
Well, Richard, now we've seen both teams' machines doing a fairly good impression of, sort of, floating.
Yeah, they're both floating.
And they're all bailing out quite busily at the moment.
Big question now is, "Will they actually move along?" Because the oars on the Anoraks' team look actually rather good now.
They have the potential of going quite quick now.
Right, now, Maximus - I'm intrigued to see what's gonna happen with them, because apparently they don't work quite as they'd originally intended.
Instead of a circular motion now, they're actually going for a linear motion.
How far are we going up? RICHARD: As it comes through the water, it'll turn square and grip the water.
They hope.
Yes.
They hope.
Because if it doesn't, then they'll just sort of rock forwards and backwards gently in the water and not go anywhere.
Did you change your mind now you've seen them? Because Maximus have their rowing style a little bit Yeah.
it's a lot more even, I think.
Maximus should have it because of the boat shape.
Right.
But (LAUGHS) I'm sitting on the fence a little bit.
But leaning over towards the Maximus team.
Leaning that way slightly.
(LAUGHS) LISA: Maximus will have to anchor their boat for now.
First to row, row, row their boat, hopefully in the right direction and without sinking, are the Anoraks.
So, Anoraks, it is the moment of truth.
Are you taking on much water? Because you're all in there now.
Not too much.
Not too much.
Nothing this can't cope with.
(LAUGHS) What do you think this is gonna handle like? Like a big, yellow conveyor.
(LAUGHS) Turning circle of? Supertanker.
Probably half this lake.
(ALL LAUGH) I'm gonna go.
Let you get on with it.
Cheers.
You ready, then? Yeah.
Yeah.
Anoraks, keeping dry is futile, so let's splash it up! (HONKS HORN) They're going for it.
Working really well.
Yeah.
(TEAMS LAUGH AND YELL) Yee-haa! LISA: Despite Lyndon's best efforts, the Anoraks are careering off course.
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Stop, stop! Ooh, that means problems with the steering.
I just l've gone full lock.
Which way were you on? That way.
I'm not silly.
Alright.
Sorry.
LISA: It looks like they'll have to make a few tweaks to their rudder before the next round.
What they need is a rudder that is literally the size of a barn door.
Well, absolutely, yeah.
But it is quite large.
Yeah.
Aha.
Maximus! It is the moment of truth.
Ha-harr! You're looking really rather fetching with your feathers and flowers.
Have you got every confidence that your vessel is gonna do what it's supposed to? Absolutely.
Makes noise.
Makes a lot of noise? Makes a lot of noise.
Yeah, and smoke.
Well, I can't wait to see it in action.
See you later, Maximus.
Let's go and have a wee.
Start the engine.
We're off, mate.
Harr-harr! Arggh! Maximus, me hearties, prepare to unleash your giant splashing machine.
(HONKS HORN) Whoo-hoo! This is it.
(MOTOR CHUGS) That's the most brilliant sound.
It wins on noise alone.
Absolutely.
We're not gonna go anywhere.
We are going somewhere! Oh, we are? Hooray! Whoo-hoo! LISA: Doesn't seem to be that much oar action at the moment.
Are they a bit slow? The bail blade isn't doing very much.
No.
Stop, Rob! What? Stop.
LISA: With their boat going nowhere, Maximus are forced to scuttle their first endeavour.
Anoraks, on the sound of the horn, you are free to row! (HORN HONKS) More, Marc.
Bit more.
We're going again.
They're cranking it up a little bit.
Getting a bit of speed on it.
Out with the oars.
Bail! Bail! Lost an oar! Gently! And we've got a rowlock going a bit.
Well, we've lost an oar.
Let's keep going, keep going.
I think they've lost an oar.
Sorry, I shouldn't laugh.
They're gonna go in any minute.
Whoa-ho! We've lost two oars! Ah! (LAUGHS) Both oars have gone! (LAUGHS) Yeah.
Oh, dear.
We've lost two oars.
And we've ripped our rowlocks off.
Now, that sounds painful.
RICHARD: Oh, what a shame.
Oh, that is very That was looking good.
That was looking hopeful.
That is so typical.
What a shame.
Don't know how we'll get the oars out.
Anoraks, are you gonna have another go at, er, maybe tinkering? Well, if we can if we can recover our oars from somewhere under the water, we'll give it a try.
I'd say it's in that quadrant there.
It's gotta be.
It's not far off where he is now, actually.
I would think he's very close now.
Yeah.
Robert to Lisa - it was such a shame, because that time they were really going well.
It was absolutely steaming along.
Not only were they going well, it was also one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
I've seen a wounded duck move across a pond in a similar way.
(CHUCKLES) ROBERT: Our divers have recovered the Anoraks' broken oars from the bottom of the lake.
So it's all hands on deck to fix their boat for the final round.
LISA: Whilst Maximus get set for their second attempt.
Have their oar adjustments made a difference? OK! ROBERT: OK, Maximus, let it rip! (HONKS HORN) That side! (BELLOWS) That side! They're not going anywhere They're not moving at all now.
(CHUCKLES) This one's not feathering at all, is it? Trickett, kill it! (MOTOR SHUTS DOWN) (LAUGHS) We got that far! ROBERT: They're very amused at how far they got.
I think, what, a quarter of a metre.
I think, yes, they didn't get very far on that one.
No.
LISA: It's crunch time.
Both teams have just one attempt left to record a time.
Let's hope the Anoraks can hold onto their oars.
Are we ready? We're ready.
ROBERT: Anoraks, let's see if slow and steady completes the race! (HONKS HORN) Go on.
Engage gear.
ROBERT: Ooh, they've got a bit of weed.
Lovely rocking motion, though.
Excellent.
MARC: Hitting the ground there.
Push us away.
Push us away, Marc.
Come on! That's it.
That's it.
We're going right the way now.
(ROBERT LAUGHS) It's the most absurd machine.
All the oars are doing what they should do.
They're just about leaving the water.
Yes! She's going, boys! Watch those rowlocks! Keep going.
Try Yes! Keep it like that, I reckon.
ROBERT: This is a very unusual sight from here.
What's it looking like from your end? The steering is still looking a bit dodgy.
They're heading straight for us and I'm worried they're not gonna be able to steer round the buoy.
They are heading definitely for you.
There's no sign of any steering at all at the moment.
It looks like it's being rowed by completely insane oarsmen.
Keep going.
Don't let it stop.
When we stop, I lose steering.
OK, straighten her up.
Yee-haa! Keep it exactly like that.
ROBERT: Oh, they're doing well now.
They're doing well.
They're round the corner, on the final straight.
It's looking good.
We've got a very slack chain now! I know.
Try and keep it steady.
Just keep it going.
Keep it going as it is.
Just keep going, guys.
Don't let it slow down.
Come on, mateys! There's so many clunking and crunching noises, it's impossible They're getting there, aren't they? (ANORAKS YELL) Soon as we're through, just stop motoring.
(HORN HONKS) Very good.
Well done.
(MEN LAUGH AND CHEER) Raaaay! Yee-haa! Very happy team.
You don't wanna come aboard? Oh, yeah, I don't think I'd better had.
You're a bit low in the water as it is.
Well, well done, Anoraks.
Thank you.
We're we're happy, aren't we? Oh, yes.
Well, brilliant, you've got round, which is really, really well done.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you.
LISA: It's Maximus's final attempt and they've repositioned their oars once more to give themselves a chance of beating the time set by the Anoraks.
OK, Maximus, go on the sound of the horn! (HORN HONKS) Way-hey! Might work now.
Come on! RICHARD: That's better.
There's something going now.
Oh, yeah.
Lisa to Robert - tell me what's happening with Maximus.
Over.
It looks from here that two of the oars are constantly submerged and the other two are sort of barely tickling the top of the water.
So they're not getting a great deal of movement.
But, you know, they're doing their best.
This is about flat-out now.
Hey, we're going, boys! Whoo-hoo! ROBERT: They seem incredibly happy, though.
That's the main thing.
We're racing along now.
We're going really well.
Are we? ROBERT: It's a very gentle boat, isn't it? RICHARD: It is, yeah.
Yeah.
Not as violent as the Anoraks' one.
OK, we're almost up to the buoy.
You tell me when to turn.
Yeah, start turning.
Left! (ENGINE CHUGS) ROBERT: I like the engine note.
It does sound like a nice old tug just chugging along.
RICHARD: If they extended the blades, they'd get more sweep on there.
Yes, well, they need to extend their blades by, like, 20 feet, really, to make a big difference.
Right, then! Come on, Maximus, keep going! We're on the home stretch! Raaaay! (ROBERT LAUGHS) We're on the home straight.
Only another day to go.
(BOTH LAUGH) Whoo! Great work! Whoa! Oh, nearly at the finish line! Come on! Come on! Come on, Maximus! (HORN HONKS) (MAXIMUS YELL AND CHEER) Whoo-hoo! Yaaay! Whoo-hoo! Yeeew! Ra-raaay! Well, teams, first of all, congratulations to both of you because you managed to complete what was technically an OARsome - excuse the pun - challenge.
But it was - it was a really difficult challenge and you both did it.
So first of all, well done to both of you.
A round of applause all round.
(ALL CLAP) This week, the winners are - the Anoraks, so well done! (ANORAKS CHEER) ROBERT: Well done, guys.
You didn't know, did you, guys? (LAUGHS) There you go.
Yeah.
Go on, get the champagne open.
(ALL LAUGH) ROBERT: Oh, yes! Oh, yes!
Stroke! Welcome to Scrapheap Challenge, where two teams of fearless fabricators will be conjuring up amazing contraptions from our world of wrecks.
This week we'll be staging our very own rusty regatta.
We'll be asking our teams to draw on all their boating brains to build madcap, motorised rowing machines.
ROBERT: First up are the Anoraks.
Captain Marc and team mates Lyndon and Andy, three off-road radicals who zipped through the last round in their six-wheeled sand racer.
LISA: Next up are Maximus, a team of rickshaw designers led by Captain Paul and ably assisted by laid-back scavengers Trickett and Dennis who pushed their pedals to the metal and bounced to victory in our Dam Buster Spectacular.
(ALL CHEER) ROBERT: Anoraks! ANORAKS: Yes! Maximus! Yes! Welcome, teams, and get ready to impersonate the four oarsmen of the apocalypse (ALL LAUGH) as we ask you to pull together and build wake-creating, water-churning power-rowers.
(ALL LAUGH) LISA: Oh, yes, teams.
To power your way through to the Scrapheap semifinals, you'll need to notch up the knots and scull across the water in double-quick time.
ROBERT: OK, teams, you know the score.
When the gong sounds, you have just 10 hours.
Anoraks, are you ready to speed your four-by-oar to victory? Yes! Maximus, are you ready to row your rickshaw downriver? Yes! Think so.
Wait, wait, wait for it.
Wait for it, teams.
(GONG RESOUNDS) Go! Go! LISA: To row Maximus in the right direction, we've roped in Jim Bond.
Jim is a skilled mechanical sculptor whose designs can automate physical movement mechanically.
Hi.
Hi.
Morning, Jim.
ROBERT: The Anoraks' expert is certainly no landlubber.
Rob Austin is a marine engineer who runs courses in maritime engineering.
Alright, I see that, er couple of key issues here.
It's gotta float.
Gotta float.
And we've gotta get that oar action.
What sort of boat should we go for? It needs to be long to fit in We gotta fit four of us Fit four oars.
I was wondering whether we can't get ourselves some small sort of vehicle, something that's got some nice axles, that, moving those oars, around like this, to actually get that movement.
OK, so on the on the oars, are we gonna have a standard action like that, or are we actually gonna try and be clever and actually try and bring them in and do it or will we just wobble them around, basically? I think we're gonna try and be clever.
Be clever.
Cool.
So that we win.
I think it's rowlocks, actually.
Rowlocks is the answer.
Yeah.
LISA: The Anoraks intend to build a rowing machine powered by a car engine with four wheels that will act as cams turning the oars.
These oars will be mounted on pivots known as rowlocks to create the rowing action required to propel their craft.
What they must make sure of is that all wheels are turning in the same direction, otherwise all they'll have created is a giant splashing machine.
Try and keep our weight as low as possible.
Because, obviously, we've got four large people, engines, whatever That's it.
We don't wanna sink.
I kind of reckon, yeah, with the oars, if we've got them all working, doing their thing, like that, it's gotta pull So, you've got a cam running, with an arm going backwards and forwards Yeah.
and working against all the oars.
Maybe with a shaft going through a pivot point here, we'll get this sort of twisting motion.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So we're looking at sort of, basically, a diesel engine But, critically, the engine needs to be really slow.
Yeah.
LISA: Maximus plan to drop a low-rewing engine into a hull, powering a single cam with a reciprocating rod much like that of a steam train.
By mounting the rods through a pivot point, they hope to create a teardrop shape and replicate a realistic rowing stroke.
They'll need to make sure that they get their calculations right otherwise they might end up pulling and pushing with their stroke and going nowhere.
Sounds easy, doesn't it? Does, doesn't it? ROBERT: With their designs looking shipshape, it's time for the captains to get their scavengers out on the heap.
Marc, do you wanna knock up a bit of a wish list? The fundamental thing is the beginnings of a boat.
No Transit roofs.
We need a hull.
Lifeboat.
Lifeboat, yep.
Rubber ring.
We need a power plant.
Something really simple.
Diesel engine.
Off you go.
Let's go.
(STARTS BIKE) LISA: Both our teams are out scavenging at a rate of knots in the search for a hull for the mechanically powered rowing boats.
LISA: Oh, my word! I've never seen one go like that.
We're here! We got here first! (LAUGHS WILDLY) (GRUNTS) I've never seen three grown men dive on a boat so quickly.
Do you think you might wanna use this? I think Um ROBERT: It looks like the Anoraks have had a stroke of luck.
But it seems Captain Marc has other ideas.
Lyndon, we don't want that.
We want the yellow thing to your right.
(LAUGHS) Put it back.
Put it back.
ROBERT: It seems Marc thinks that an old metal conveyor belt is a far more suitable hull.
That? (LAUGHS) That'll float.
Yeah, that'll float, won't it? a little steel.
Bring both things here and we'll have a five-minute discussion and then let you on your way.
ROBERT: To appease Lyndon, Marc agrees to have a look at the boat.
And whilst the Anoraks decide if it's a yellow yacht or a yellow submarine LISA: Maximus have found a far more obvious method of flotation.
Perfect! These are really cool.
They are.
(LAUGHS) I think we've got the better thing here.
They might've beaten us to the other, but This is business.
Trickett, how you doing? We just had a major scrummage for that black boat, but then went and found other boats which we reckon are gonna be much, much better, man.
Well done.
Hold on, Dennis.
Whoa.
What you got? Cement mixer.
Ah, top, man! Top.
LISA: To replicate the motion of rowing, Maximus want to use a slow-turning engine such as a cement mixer.
The low revolutions of such a machine will allow a longer power stroke and therefore create more forward thrust.
Too fast a revolution and the oars won't be in the water long enough to propel the boat forward.
However, such an engine has only one speed.
If it's not powerful enough, they won't be able to increase the revolutions in order to go faster.
(DUCK QUACKS AND SIGHS) Stuff your end in.
We'll just chuck it on.
(LAUGHS) That's gotta be the most enthusiastic, fastest start we've ever had.
We almost got there, but not quite.
To a scavenge.
What we've found here, though, is better because it's gonna give us a more stable structure to work with.
And you've got a cement mixer, which is obviously exactly what you need.
Don't know.
Have a look.
Want me to hold it while you drive in it? Yeah, if you could give us a hand.
Excellent.
You seem to have found nearly everything in the first five minutes! Well, you know.
Have you got any experience of rowing things? I used to be in a rowing club in Bath, actually.
So you know what you're talking about? No, not really.
(BOTH LAUGH) I thought you said you'd found something good.
(ALL LAUGH) This is much better than the other one.
Let's just flip it over.
ROBERT: The Anoraks' captain, Marc, is still convinced that the boat hull should be scuttled.
No way in a million years that that will take OK, we're gonna be up here somewhere.
Gonna wind up with steel frames.
Let's get that yellow thing.
Let's do it.
LISA: Remarkably, the large yellow steel conveyor belt seems to be more suitable for the task ahead.
The smaller boat is unlikely to float with the weight of an engine, two axles and all four team members in it, whilst the yellow monster should displace enough water to stay afloat, if they can patch up all the holes.
You must remember these.
How'd you open the bonnet? ROBERT: Still not convinced by their new choice of hull, Lyndon and Andy have found a welcome distraction.
Looks like a car, does it? Yep.
I think it's got everything.
It's even got a new exhaust.
ROBERT: This old Morris Minor might be the perfect power supply for the Anoraks' racy rower.
So it's time for Lyndon to rev up his quad.
They're towing something.
Broken the tow rope.
Is it moving? Yeah, but it's dragging everything with it.
Brilliant.
(BANG) We got some of it! It's the fastest bumper in the world.
(BOTH LAUGH) Whoa! WHOA! (LAUGHS) Come back! OK.
Slowly.
(LAUGHS) We got her, boys.
It's the district nurse! Who wants their pulse taken? Er, no er LISA: If that Morris engine is a runner, it could give the Anoraks the edge over Maximus, who have only a small and decrepit cement mixer to power their craft.
JIM: We've just decided to put the engine in the middle so that it doesn't all tip over to one side.
We're gonna keep a central crank down the middle like on a train wheel.
So that's driving two sets of oars and we take a drive off each side to run a separate mechanism for the actual oar.
Um, it's quite complicated.
It's not an easy build, is it? No, it's quite tricky.
Now, have you had any experience of doing any rowing, because you live on a boat, don't you? Yeah, er, I I do, but my boat's a bit different from this.
But since seeing this, I think I might convert my boat to, um yeah, oar-powered.
(LAUGHS) Yeah, right.
But Trickett was in the ladies' rowing club, though.
Paulos, can you hear me? Yep.
Alright, alright.
I'm having a chat.
(MOUTHS) (PAUL ON RADIO) Trickett, what do you want? Well, we found a cement mixer with a Lister engine in it.
It'd be perfect.
ROBERT: The larger mixer will certainly give Maximus more torque to propel their craft.
Brilliant, bring it up.
ROBERT: But will it be a match for the Anoraks' Morris Minor engine? It's a bit heavy.
We might need a bit of a hand.
Right.
We'll be right down.
OK.
LISA: With only eight hours left, the Anoraks really need to get working on that Morris engine.
But the bonnet seems to be getting in the way.
Guess we don't know.
I've found the bonnet, Paul.
It's down here.
No! (MARC ON RADIO) to have a chat with you.
(MOTOR STARTS) (LAUGHS) There we go.
That's all we need.
That's out of juice, but that's it.
Morning, chaps.
Hi there.
Oh, that's a very lovely old motor.
Look at that.
A classic.
Look at that.
Quality.
Quality car, isn't it? It is.
Now, I'm a little bit I am a little bit confused because there's obviously been the I mean, to my great amusement, the boat coming in and then that being rejected, and the huge piece of yellow steel with more holes in it than you can poke a stick at being chosen instead.
It's the buoyancy problem that we've really got.
Four big blokes.
Yeah.
Morris Minor engine.
Loads of gears and axles and that.
Yeah, gears, axles, all sorts of things in there.
But so that's your power plant, then? Yep, and we've got a shaft connecting two rear axles together.
Right.
And we always are in planning to have one set of oars in the water at any one time.
And they're not gonna be going like that? No.
Yeah, so the front ones will be in the water Tssh-tssh-tssh.
Eases the load on the engine.
LISA: The Morris Minor engine will give the Anoraks the lightweight power supply that they need to power the two axles.
However, even running in first gear, the axles will turn too fast, creating a whisk effect which could prove catastrophic.
MAN: Oh, nah! LISA: To solve the problem, the Anoraks plan to gear down the axles via a chain and sprocket, thus reducing the revolutions.
I also noticed there's been a slight change in the whole line-up of the team.
Yeah, we've got Andy joining us because, unfortunately, poor old Geoff couldn't be here, but he's here in spirit.
He's very clean still.
Yes.
Yeah.
He's not done a lot yet.
Yeah.
He's lost a bit of weight since last time.
(ALL LAUGH) Look at that! It's perfect.
ROBERT: Now that Maximus have dragged their mighty mixer into the build area, doubts about the buoyancy of the pedalos are starting to surface.
So we're just gonna mount the cement mixer between the two thingies? Yeah, are they gonna float with all that on it? I hope so.
ROBERT: But, ever the optimists, Maximus press on with the original plan.
To construct all their oars, cranks and rods, Maximus will need a small mountain of metal tubing.
Oops.
I could probably do with a hand here! Yeah, I'll be back in a bit.
Or a helicopter! One helicopter coming up.
ROBERT: They also need to dramatically reduce the weight of their mixer.
(CHEERS) Yippee! Get off! Fantastic.
Let's put a fire in it and get a barbie going.
Yeah.
(ALL LAUGH) That was it.
There you go.
LISA: Having got their engine out, and cut off the axles it's time for some spring cleaning in the Anoraks' camp to clear a bit of room for their dainty hull.
Maximus's Dennis has made a remarkable discovery.
I've just found a boat in the yard.
Have you? There's a boat out there.
'Cause we were thinking we need something bigger.
They're not gonna do it.
Yeah.
Come and have a look.
Perfect for what we need, I think.
How come we never saw that? How come Um, Dennis Eh? How come we never spotted this, then? I dunno.
It's even got a full tank in it! LISA: To help us fathom the principles of rowing, our judge this week is the appropriately named Richard Carless.
Not only is Richard a marine safety expert, but he also recently smashed the long-distance record for rowing the length of the Thames.
Now, Richard, I know you've done a fair amount of rowing yourself - like, an alarming amount.
Yes, I've done a bit.
So you presumably understand the basic requirements of what's needed when a human being rows.
Well, that's right.
Yeah.
And a human being is, um can adapt to the water conditions, the balance - they're obviously gonna be very fixed.
So if it goes over to one side, you may have one set of blades up in the air and the other one down Right.
Getting the height for the blades as well is quite interesting.
Essentially, you only need to cover the spoon.
That's all that needs to go into the water.
That needs to be in the water.
Yeah.
They need to know roughly where the waterline is so they can Absolutely.
Yeah.
oars could be right up in the air.
It would be good if they make it adjustable.
There's a lot of issues you've gotta cover.
The hull is actually the fundamental one, really.
To give them their due, the Anoraks have spent about the last two hours trying to drag what they consider to be a hull.
They obviously live in a fantasy world.
I don't think anybody else would look at that and go, "Mmm.
Hull for a ship.
" Well, it's got the potential there.
I suppose it has.
It's vaguely box-like.
It's certainly got the length.
I'm gonna have to press you now, who you think has got the best chance.
Well, I think Maximus have, er are looking good.
They seem to be choosing a new hull.
Right.
I think they've realised that the pedalos are a little bit too small for the weight.
It seems like not a bad choice because they have got a hull, as in something that might float, whereas the Anoraks have a massive piece of yellow steel that is just holes.
(BOTH LAUGH) No? LISA: Now they have a traditional hull, it looks like everything is shipshape for Maximus.
We're gonna have the engine at the front, then? Yeah.
No.
That's the engine at the back.
That's the engine at the back.
LISA: They just need to fathom where they should put their cement mixer.
Have we got the oars go? Goes that way.
Yeah.
We're looking at that being the front of the boat, then, yeah? No, no.
That's the back.
We're putting the engi So that's the front? No.
No, that's the front.
That's the back.
That's the back.
Right.
OK.
I'm not convinced.
You're not? At the moment.
(LAUGHS) Do you want a cup of tea? A cold drink? ROBERT: Whilst Maximus have a nice, long brew and mull over the orientation of their cement mixer, the Anoraks are about to experience a bit of good fortune.
Oh, it's just class, isn't it? It's got a wheel on there.
Couldn't get any better than that.
ROBERT: The Morris axles are an ideal fit, and the wheels which which drive the oars hang perfectly over the edges of their hull.
Teams, you have six hours remaining, teams.
Six hours, thank you.
Whoo-hoo! That's a bit more solid.
LISA: Their Swiss-cheese hull is still a worry, but Lyndon thinks he may have found a solution to the Anoraks' buoyancy problem.
ROB: Oh, flippin' heck! It's gonna take a bit of filling to sort that out.
It's not my fault! This could look quite professional.
Yeah, it could.
ROB: As a submarine.
OK, lads, come on, let's go.
ROBERT: It's halfway through the day and it's the first time the rest of Maximus have seen Dennis's boat.
Dennis, how did you not see this before? Well, I walked past it.
I walked past it.
I must've done.
Whoa! That'll do for the time being, won't it? We don't want it in there, 'cause it'll be in the way.
It's a lot more glamorous than those pedalos.
I wouldn't have been seen dead in the in them.
LISA: With their boat prepped and ready, it's time for Maximus to get working on the cement mixer.
There you go, Captain Paul.
LISA: But first, another cup of tea.
put between there Hello, Anoraks.
Hello.
I don't wanna um state the obvious, but this is a very big, metallic, holey-looking thing.
Yeah.
What on earth are you using this for? Because it's all there was.
ROB: Yeah.
There's enough buoyancy in it.
It's just it's probably gonna sit quite low in the water.
But we want the bows up so that it'll plane.
Weight mostly to the stern.
So how's how's this all gonna work up? How are you gonna put Well, we've got, um, a shaft that's gonna go between there.
Engine, gearbox, and then a chain drive between the gearbox, up to a shaft up here.
The only thing that worries me slightly is I heard the word 'chain drive'.
You gonna be able ensure that yours works as it's supposed to? As Anoraks, we did make a firm rule that we'd never, ever, EVER use chain drives.
But we're doing them this time.
ROBERT: Chain drives and a hull riddled with holes.
These Anoraks certainly like a challenge.
(MOTOR CHUGS) Way-hey! Beautiful.
Whoo! Look at that Look at that! It's the perfect speed.
Yeah.
Oh, that is brilliant, isn't it? LISA: Their cement mixer has the perfect slow revolutions that Maximus are after for their drive mechanism and to save a huge amount of time, they can use the mixer's drum as the main cam that will drive their oars.
Let's just hope they turn it in the right direction.
WOMAN: Other way! (MIXER CHUGS) Sounds like an old Mississippi (LAUGHS) Sounds like a proper boat engine, doesn't it? It does, yeah.
Afternoon, gentlemen.
Ah, good.
Is it level? No.
No, OK.
(ALL LAUGH) I'm slightly intrigued by this whole project today, but mostly by the fact that you've got a cement mixer here which must weigh half a ton.
Can't you see this is this is the heart of a boat? (CLEARS THROAT) Now you tell me, obviously, it is.
Yeah.
But so this drives something - this.
That's coming off, or is that gonna stay on? No, that's staying there.
That's staying on?! Yeah.
That's that's the drive.
So as that turns round It drives a central shaft.
Like on a train.
Like a train, yeah.
Excellent.
It's taken us a while to work that out.
And will your oars do a circular motion, or will they do a sort of Slightly elliptical sort of movement, yeah.
Perfect rowing motion.
So what is the next thing at the moment.
What are you constructing? It's the frames.
And then you've gotta And the drive.
And the oars.
And the oars.
And the boat.
Yeah.
And the boat.
So, everything, really.
We haven't started yet, really.
We've got a good collection of bits, though, and we're ready to go.
LISA: Nearly halfway through the build, and the Anoraks are positioning their engine.
What? Lower the engine down.
LISA: Andy is starting to put together their chain drive.
Prickly wheel goes on there.
Weld, weld, weld.
Chain, chain, chain.
Off-he-comey.
Cut your leg off.
LISA: But Captain Marc looks a worried man.
Don't worry.
Hold on.
(LAUGHS) Right.
Stop.
That's twice you've done that now.
Get him mid-stroke.
(LAUGHS) ROBERT: Maximus have decided it's time to put down their teacups and start to build something.
First on the list are the paddles, which need to be mounted on some well-crafted rowlocks, whilst Trickett preps their mixer.
Look at that! Perfectly balanced.
ROBERT: Maximus have a perfect working hull.
And a working engine to drive their oars.
Unfortunately, with less than half the build left, their boat is still sat outside the build area.
And their engine is a very heavy cement mixer that's seen better days.
But the team seem fairly relaxed with their situation.
Lovely oars.
(LAUGHS) (BLOWS NOSE) Hard to bolt (CONTINUES LOUDLY BLOWING) So are you still going in for the Olympics with that? Yeah.
Yeah? Still on the team? LISA: In the Anoraks' build, expert Rob is busy constructing the clever oars that'll propel their Morris Minor power-rower.
We're about to get our first articulation.
LISA: Whilst the rest of the Anoraks are all-hands-on-deck patching up their holey hull.
Can we have a group hug for a second? Lyndon? Rob? We're making one decision, of where to cut it.
ROBERT: It seems like the Anoraks are about to make a rather hasty decision.
Before we cut it, are we happy that's where the engine's gonna be? I think we want it a lot nearer the centre line.
I'm l'm with that.
ROBERT: Rather than patching up every hole in their leaky liner, they've decided to shorten their hull by slicing off the front end.
LISA: Their boat will float as long as the water they displace weighs as much as they do.
By cutting their hull almost in half, they may not displace enough water for their weight and sink.
Let's hope the Anoraks are happy with their rather reckless decision, because there's no turning back now.
Well, I think before we go anywhere near the boat with this, we need to secure this in position.
OK, go for it, then.
ROBERT: Maximus must make sure that the cement mixer is mounted precisely within their oar system, otherwise they won't be rowing everywhere.
It's all good.
That's it.
ROBERT: Spirit levels are for amateurs.
Easy peasy.
Alright.
Teams, you have four hours remaining.
Four hours remaining, teams.
I thank you.
Four hours.
Four hours.
Yeah, no trouble.
He's havin' a laugh! Oh.
LISA: Four hours to go and Maximus finally get their boat in.
Shall we just manhandle this in? Well, shall we give it a go? It is uphill.
We are Maximus.
We've got no chance.
LISA: They may be Maximus, but that's a big boat.
(ALL GRUNT) Come on, boys! (GRUNTS) Shall we get the quad? Yeah.
Oh! Yep.
Whoa! It's in.
In a bit more? No, we can work on it perfectly there.
Maximus, it seems are on the point of almost mounting their power-drive unit into their hull.
It's taken a while to for them to get it things together.
But I think we're gonna see some progress very shortly.
Because I haven't really seen any physical evidence of how the Maximus' oars are g I mean, I've seen the oars, but I haven't seen how they actually move yet.
The spoons are looking very good.
Yeah.
They're very large.
They are, aren't they? Lt'll be quite interesting.
It could be very hard gearing.
Do you mean in the sense that it's hard for the engine to move it at all? Very hard, yeah.
Absolutely.
It's just a stiff old machine.
Right.
The Anoraks, I, actually was quite impressed with their rowing system.
It looks really good.
Well, I think the actual mechanics of the rowing system are looking quite good and, er, and very hopeful.
I was quite surprised.
They've cut the boat down.
To my mind, I think it's probably been cut down a little bit too much.
Having the extra length is no problem at all.
It'll help their buoyancy.
Yes.
It does seem a little bit rash, doesn't it? At the moment, are you still feeling that Maximus have the edge? Yes, I think they probably do, on balance.
Anything to make you smile, Dennis.
Who's good at maths? I'm not.
LISA: Now that they've cut the front of their hull off, the Anoraks are starting to worry about their buoyancy.
This is the bottom dimension of the boat only.
Yeah, I need to get it into feet for me.
(LAUGHS) What do you think the hull weighs? 800-weight, something like that.
We'll have a quick jump into the '70s, shall we? What's that Could have a '70s haircut.
I'm about 15 stone.
(ALL LAUGH) So what's that in kilos? This is like trying to do two different languages, isn't it? How many pounds is in st a kilo a stone? 14 x 2.
2.
So 15.
14 fo No.
What's that? Oh, God.
I'm no good at maths.
Do it by the 10, then add it.
So We don't really care.
We're alright, aren't we? They they use computers and calculators all day.
We just use hammer and chisels.
This is about 100 kilos.
100 kilos.
So we're under a tonne.
Theoretically, it should float.
LISA: Well, I'm convinced.
It is a good sign.
Good sign.
Good sign.
So we need to start bringing that down, don't we? OK, yeah.
Hey, you know what, boys? This is starting to look quite proper.
Oh, that board's gonna go.
Will it sink now? There's a hole in it.
We could always put a Maximus sticker over it, couldn't we? (LAUGHS) Trickett sunk the boat.
ROBERT: Maximus are planning to run their oars through holes in the side of their boat.
The position of their engine in the hull will determine where these holes will be.
I kind of think that, you know, getting this as low as possible is paramount, really.
OK, 'cause, to the waterline here Mmm.
is 50.
ROBERT: If the holes are too low, then they'll be below the waterline.
If they position the engine too high, the boat will be unstable.
It's not that much room to play with, is it? No, it's not.
Let's just put it at 200 and then the oars come through 100 down.
They'll come in 100mm lower than there.
That's our sort of safe area, isn't it? Yeah.
You reckon you're sort of happy with that? Yeah.
(LAUGHS) He's not sure, are you, Jim? I can see, I'm telling you.
(ALL LAUGH) Ooh, good afternoon, gentlemen.
Good afternoon.
Looks like there's a lot of serious discussion going on here.
Yeah (ALL LAUGH) Just a little bit.
Well, I'm impressed with some things.
Are you? Yeah, because there's these things.
The colour.
The colour is lovely.
The colour is brilliant.
There's a certain shortening that's taken place since I last saw it.
Yep.
And that's been calculated, has it? Yep.
It's calculated to float at 400mm draft.
We might have bets on it, as to where it does actually float to.
(ALL LAUGH) We're running a book down the side.
About there.
(ALL LAUGH) About there, is it?! Maximus, it looks like a proper boat! Eh.
We can have a, er, sort of rotary demonstration.
Excellent.
That goes round.
Slightly faster.
That goes round.
Drives the crank.
Pushes a big arm down the middle.
Right.
And they send other cranks to the oars.
LISA: Maximus's cement mixer cam will power a large reciprocating rod which will, in turn, power two dog-leg cams.
Each of these cams will power another rod that will link to the individual oars.
To replicate the mechanics of rowing, these four rods will run through a pivot creating a teardrop motion which will dip the oars in and out of the water.
The oars can extend - if they're not dipping in the water enough, we can make them longer.
Yeah, and if if extending them or bringing them in doesn't work, then we're just gonna bend them.
Steve Redgrave never had oars like that, but hey (BLOWS RASPBERRY) He never had a cement mixer, though.
You are the most chilled-out team we've ever had on Scrapheap.
Do you ever get stressed about anything? Mmm.
No.
Not really, no.
Try not to.
Yeah.
Yeah, we have run out of tea again.
And I might just get a strop about that.
ROBERT: With three hours remaining, the Anoraks are full-speed ahead.
Andy is cutting up reams of plate to patch up their hull.
Lyndon is designing a bow for their boat.
And Captain Marc and expert Rob are beginning to assemble the flexible oars that will hopefully propel their craft to victory.
I reckon cut it I'll just go and cut it back to that line there.
ROBERT: If it floats.
LISA: Maximus are cruising along nicely.
Dennis is fastening down their mammoth mixer.
Fire! Woo-hoo! I wanna welcome fires here today.
And Trickett is beginning to design the dogleg cranks that will turn their oars, leaving Captain Paul to take care of the most important job.
Dunno why I get to make the tea.
I'm the captain! (TUTS) Typical.
You know, Robert, I love Maximus.
They're so atypical of a Scrapheap team in that they just don't get stressed.
They refuse to get stressed.
If they win this and come back, we have to throw something at them.
If it was a nice day, we could put hoses round the build, just to make it rain on them.
Yes.
Set fire to stuff, things like that.
I think even that wouldn't wind them up.
They wouldn't mind.
The machine they've built is completely bonkers.
It's a huge blue boat, verging on a cruise liner.
It's often a fantasy of teams, isn't it, when they're building some hideous thing, that they always say, "We'll sit out on the poop deck and have tea.
" And they don't do it, strangely.
Funny that.
They never get the chance.
They're too busy pumping water out, trying to stay afloat.
The old Anoraks, they've got an interesting combination of massive enthusiasm and confidence, which is in Lyndon and Rob, their expert, and, I think, fear, just basic, pure fear, with the other two team members.
Lyndon was going, "Yes, we've worked it all out.
"It's all gonna float.
No problem at all.
" Nice sort of macho nerd attitude.
The others were going like that - "There's no chance this thing will float for more than a minute.
" But actually, their rowing oar thing, actually, is really simple and they don't go together, they'll be going like this.
I'll see if I can do it.
It goes It's really difficult to do.
(LAUGHS) You can't do it.
The human body cannot do it.
It's that complex.
You might wanna stop there, Rob.
You're looking a bit silly.
It goes like that (LAUGHS) LISA: Fortunately for the Anoraks, expert Rob has a mechanical rather than human solution for the oar movement.
His clever design of cams, flexible joints and pivots, should replicate the human motion of rowing.
The oars attach to the rotating wheel via a universal joint.
This will allow it to pivot evenly on the rowlock positioned on the outrigger.
To allow the oar to dip in and out of the water, the shaft of the oar is telescopic, allowing it to lengthen during the power stroke and shorten during the recovery.
Without this clever design, the oars would more than likely break the rowlock off.
(CRIES) ROBERT: With the oars not far from being finished, it's time to weld on the outriggers that will hold their rowlocks.
It moved when you started setting fire to my hand.
(LAUGHS) ROBERT: It's also time to fix the chain drive which will power both axles.
(IN WELSH ACCENT) Ooh, that's lovely.
(BOTH LAUGH) Teams, I'm here to tell you you have two hours remaining! We're running low on time, guys.
(LAUGHS) Never.
That doesn't look too shabby.
LISA: Whereas the Anoraks are using the axles off a Morris Minor, Maximus are constructing identical dogleg cams to turn their oars.
So one side's the central crank, innit? Yeah.
ROBERT: It's vital that the diameter of the dogleg cams are identical to the main cement mixer cam so that everything turns in unison.
You wanted a tight fit, didn't you? Yeah, yeah, definitely.
There's two over there.
Get it up against the tight bit and belt it.
A bit more on the weld.
That's it.
Here you go.
As the build drifts into darkness, it's time to ask our sculling supremo, Richard Carless, if our teams are rowing in the right direction.
I think we could almost now admit that the Anoraks' machine does look more boat-like, doesn't it? Oh, it definitely looks more boat-like.
Do you think it's gonna float? I think it'll float.
I think it's gonna be quite noisy, because they've got a lot of metal against metal.
So they'll probably have to grease the rowlocks.
I mean, if they start out at the highest speed the oars can go, they're gonna create rather a lot of splashing.
Yeah, they'd be like a whisk.
They'll just whip up the water into a foam.
So they need to get the boat running a little bit first.
They have the potential, then, of going fairly fast, do you think? I think so, yes.
If it all works right.
On the other side, the Maximus machine just looks fantastic.
To have a cement mixer inside a yacht.
Absolutely, yeah.
Not something you see every day.
The cement mixer will probably run at a set speed.
And so they are restricted to a one-speed action, but they have got very long oars and they've got very big spoons.
Because the pressure on those things is gonna be fairly large.
It will be quite a lot, yes.
So have you changed your mind, or are you still with Maximus on I think I think Maximus still have it for me.
Definitely gonna be a race, isn't it? Oh, hopefully.
I'm looking forward to it.
It's that it's that time of the evening.
It's getting close, isn't it? How's it all going? It's going really well, I think.
We've managed to get the obviously, it looking like a boat now.
The last few bits are all coming together nicely, I think.
It looks more patched up and less holey than it did before.
Yeah, it looks more like a boat than a hollow thing.
Than a sieve.
Yes.
And how fast do you think it's gonna go? (LAUGHS) I don't know.
Do you think it's gonna float? It will definitely float.
Brilliant.
It will definitely float.
Ah ye ah, I don't know, actually.
Yeah, probably.
Just a quick word.
I can see you are quite busy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I thought you'd all be sitting around now.
Still taking on tea and biscuits, but, er Have you thought about speed? I mean, I don't know how fast a cement mixer turns, but it's not terribly fast, is it? No, it's not very quick, but what we've got is quite a long stroke.
That should be able to pull you.
Each stroke is gonna be a quality stroke.
Well, that's brilliant.
I'll let you get on.
See you later on.
Alright.
Cheers.
It's a charming job, innit? Ah! Hang on.
Oh, that's good.
Arggh! Teams, you have one hour remaining.
Final adjustments.
LISA: With one hour remaining, it's the Anoraks who are looking the more shipshape, as Captain Marc begins to attach their oars.
But it's all hands on deck for Maximus.
There's an awful lot of pivots, rods and rowlocks to attach to their sturdy cement mixer before their oars can be mounted.
Timber! Boat renovations by Maximus.
Come on.
LISA: Even the tea breaks are shorter.
Maximus - or Team Chill - as we I think we should refer to them, absolute chaos, pandemonium, things on fire.
Nobody's the slightest bit frazzled at all.
They're all absolutely fine.
Oh, I love you, boys.
You know, Maximus have a boat that is designed to slip through the water easily.
So they have that advantage.
But they've probably got an absolute top limit to how fast their oars can go.
Cement mixer fast.
(LAUGHS) You get some very fast cement mixers these days.
Turbo-charged, with go-faster stripes.
Yeah, and whereas the Anoraks might have the edge of speed simply because their oars can go faster.
But the danger for them is starting off.
If they start off fast, they'll just froth the water up and they won't move at all.
The other danger is that they're basically in a brick.
Yeah.
And I've got a sneaking suspicion that the Anoraks might surprise us.
I'll put a penny on the Anoraks.
Yes.
No, 5p.
I'll go crazy.
Hold it still.
LISA: It may well be a brick, but Robert's money might be safe.
With the holes patched up and their oar system attached, the Anoraks can spend the final minutes of the build adding their rudder and extra buoyancy.
Alright.
That ought to be about it.
ROBERT: But with time ticking, has the pressure finally got to Trickett? Get out of my way.
Ooh-eh! Get out of my way.
Get out of my way! It's not gonna be a hole below the waterline? Um, no.
It's gonna be about I'll tell you what, that looks really professional.
ROBERT: With the holes for their oars cut out, it's a final dash against the clock to fit their paddles and rowlocks.
Little bit more.
Little bit more.
OK, teams, the tide is high and your time is up! LISA: Yes, teams, rest those weary heads, because when the sun is over the yardarm, you'll have to race your rusty rowers.
Well done, teams! It's been a great build.
Fantastic build, guys.
Well done.
Well done.
Whoo! Really good.
This is it.
Sink or swim.
LISA: It's the moment of truth for the Anoraks as their crazy conveyor is lowered into the lake.
Is it too late to mention I can't swim? I wonder if they're worried.
We are taking on huge, huge, huge water.
Yee-haa! It might be sinking, but it's floating.
LISA: A bit of frantic bailing should keep the Anoraks' boat afloat.
Yes! So it's time to launch the cement mixer.
We're afloat! Beautiful.
Lovely.
That's perfect.
OK.
ROBERT: To test the poke of our team's stroke, we're gonna give them three attempts to finish our regatta race.
They must power their craft by oars alone around the buoy and back through the finish line.
The team that completes a heat in the fastest time will win through to the Scrapheap semifinals.
Now, then, Dennis, could you go and ballast back the other way? LISA: As the teams make the final adjustment to their maritime monsters, our judge Richard Carless has one last chance to back the winner.
Well, Richard, now we've seen both teams' machines doing a fairly good impression of, sort of, floating.
Yeah, they're both floating.
And they're all bailing out quite busily at the moment.
Big question now is, "Will they actually move along?" Because the oars on the Anoraks' team look actually rather good now.
They have the potential of going quite quick now.
Right, now, Maximus - I'm intrigued to see what's gonna happen with them, because apparently they don't work quite as they'd originally intended.
Instead of a circular motion now, they're actually going for a linear motion.
How far are we going up? RICHARD: As it comes through the water, it'll turn square and grip the water.
They hope.
Yes.
They hope.
Because if it doesn't, then they'll just sort of rock forwards and backwards gently in the water and not go anywhere.
Did you change your mind now you've seen them? Because Maximus have their rowing style a little bit Yeah.
it's a lot more even, I think.
Maximus should have it because of the boat shape.
Right.
But (LAUGHS) I'm sitting on the fence a little bit.
But leaning over towards the Maximus team.
Leaning that way slightly.
(LAUGHS) LISA: Maximus will have to anchor their boat for now.
First to row, row, row their boat, hopefully in the right direction and without sinking, are the Anoraks.
So, Anoraks, it is the moment of truth.
Are you taking on much water? Because you're all in there now.
Not too much.
Not too much.
Nothing this can't cope with.
(LAUGHS) What do you think this is gonna handle like? Like a big, yellow conveyor.
(LAUGHS) Turning circle of? Supertanker.
Probably half this lake.
(ALL LAUGH) I'm gonna go.
Let you get on with it.
Cheers.
You ready, then? Yeah.
Yeah.
Anoraks, keeping dry is futile, so let's splash it up! (HONKS HORN) They're going for it.
Working really well.
Yeah.
(TEAMS LAUGH AND YELL) Yee-haa! LISA: Despite Lyndon's best efforts, the Anoraks are careering off course.
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Stop, stop! Ooh, that means problems with the steering.
I just l've gone full lock.
Which way were you on? That way.
I'm not silly.
Alright.
Sorry.
LISA: It looks like they'll have to make a few tweaks to their rudder before the next round.
What they need is a rudder that is literally the size of a barn door.
Well, absolutely, yeah.
But it is quite large.
Yeah.
Aha.
Maximus! It is the moment of truth.
Ha-harr! You're looking really rather fetching with your feathers and flowers.
Have you got every confidence that your vessel is gonna do what it's supposed to? Absolutely.
Makes noise.
Makes a lot of noise? Makes a lot of noise.
Yeah, and smoke.
Well, I can't wait to see it in action.
See you later, Maximus.
Let's go and have a wee.
Start the engine.
We're off, mate.
Harr-harr! Arggh! Maximus, me hearties, prepare to unleash your giant splashing machine.
(HONKS HORN) Whoo-hoo! This is it.
(MOTOR CHUGS) That's the most brilliant sound.
It wins on noise alone.
Absolutely.
We're not gonna go anywhere.
We are going somewhere! Oh, we are? Hooray! Whoo-hoo! LISA: Doesn't seem to be that much oar action at the moment.
Are they a bit slow? The bail blade isn't doing very much.
No.
Stop, Rob! What? Stop.
LISA: With their boat going nowhere, Maximus are forced to scuttle their first endeavour.
Anoraks, on the sound of the horn, you are free to row! (HORN HONKS) More, Marc.
Bit more.
We're going again.
They're cranking it up a little bit.
Getting a bit of speed on it.
Out with the oars.
Bail! Bail! Lost an oar! Gently! And we've got a rowlock going a bit.
Well, we've lost an oar.
Let's keep going, keep going.
I think they've lost an oar.
Sorry, I shouldn't laugh.
They're gonna go in any minute.
Whoa-ho! We've lost two oars! Ah! (LAUGHS) Both oars have gone! (LAUGHS) Yeah.
Oh, dear.
We've lost two oars.
And we've ripped our rowlocks off.
Now, that sounds painful.
RICHARD: Oh, what a shame.
Oh, that is very That was looking good.
That was looking hopeful.
That is so typical.
What a shame.
Don't know how we'll get the oars out.
Anoraks, are you gonna have another go at, er, maybe tinkering? Well, if we can if we can recover our oars from somewhere under the water, we'll give it a try.
I'd say it's in that quadrant there.
It's gotta be.
It's not far off where he is now, actually.
I would think he's very close now.
Yeah.
Robert to Lisa - it was such a shame, because that time they were really going well.
It was absolutely steaming along.
Not only were they going well, it was also one of the funniest things I've ever seen.
I've seen a wounded duck move across a pond in a similar way.
(CHUCKLES) ROBERT: Our divers have recovered the Anoraks' broken oars from the bottom of the lake.
So it's all hands on deck to fix their boat for the final round.
LISA: Whilst Maximus get set for their second attempt.
Have their oar adjustments made a difference? OK! ROBERT: OK, Maximus, let it rip! (HONKS HORN) That side! (BELLOWS) That side! They're not going anywhere They're not moving at all now.
(CHUCKLES) This one's not feathering at all, is it? Trickett, kill it! (MOTOR SHUTS DOWN) (LAUGHS) We got that far! ROBERT: They're very amused at how far they got.
I think, what, a quarter of a metre.
I think, yes, they didn't get very far on that one.
No.
LISA: It's crunch time.
Both teams have just one attempt left to record a time.
Let's hope the Anoraks can hold onto their oars.
Are we ready? We're ready.
ROBERT: Anoraks, let's see if slow and steady completes the race! (HONKS HORN) Go on.
Engage gear.
ROBERT: Ooh, they've got a bit of weed.
Lovely rocking motion, though.
Excellent.
MARC: Hitting the ground there.
Push us away.
Push us away, Marc.
Come on! That's it.
That's it.
We're going right the way now.
(ROBERT LAUGHS) It's the most absurd machine.
All the oars are doing what they should do.
They're just about leaving the water.
Yes! She's going, boys! Watch those rowlocks! Keep going.
Try Yes! Keep it like that, I reckon.
ROBERT: This is a very unusual sight from here.
What's it looking like from your end? The steering is still looking a bit dodgy.
They're heading straight for us and I'm worried they're not gonna be able to steer round the buoy.
They are heading definitely for you.
There's no sign of any steering at all at the moment.
It looks like it's being rowed by completely insane oarsmen.
Keep going.
Don't let it stop.
When we stop, I lose steering.
OK, straighten her up.
Yee-haa! Keep it exactly like that.
ROBERT: Oh, they're doing well now.
They're doing well.
They're round the corner, on the final straight.
It's looking good.
We've got a very slack chain now! I know.
Try and keep it steady.
Just keep it going.
Keep it going as it is.
Just keep going, guys.
Don't let it slow down.
Come on, mateys! There's so many clunking and crunching noises, it's impossible They're getting there, aren't they? (ANORAKS YELL) Soon as we're through, just stop motoring.
(HORN HONKS) Very good.
Well done.
(MEN LAUGH AND CHEER) Raaaay! Yee-haa! Very happy team.
You don't wanna come aboard? Oh, yeah, I don't think I'd better had.
You're a bit low in the water as it is.
Well, well done, Anoraks.
Thank you.
We're we're happy, aren't we? Oh, yes.
Well, brilliant, you've got round, which is really, really well done.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you.
LISA: It's Maximus's final attempt and they've repositioned their oars once more to give themselves a chance of beating the time set by the Anoraks.
OK, Maximus, go on the sound of the horn! (HORN HONKS) Way-hey! Might work now.
Come on! RICHARD: That's better.
There's something going now.
Oh, yeah.
Lisa to Robert - tell me what's happening with Maximus.
Over.
It looks from here that two of the oars are constantly submerged and the other two are sort of barely tickling the top of the water.
So they're not getting a great deal of movement.
But, you know, they're doing their best.
This is about flat-out now.
Hey, we're going, boys! Whoo-hoo! ROBERT: They seem incredibly happy, though.
That's the main thing.
We're racing along now.
We're going really well.
Are we? ROBERT: It's a very gentle boat, isn't it? RICHARD: It is, yeah.
Yeah.
Not as violent as the Anoraks' one.
OK, we're almost up to the buoy.
You tell me when to turn.
Yeah, start turning.
Left! (ENGINE CHUGS) ROBERT: I like the engine note.
It does sound like a nice old tug just chugging along.
RICHARD: If they extended the blades, they'd get more sweep on there.
Yes, well, they need to extend their blades by, like, 20 feet, really, to make a big difference.
Right, then! Come on, Maximus, keep going! We're on the home stretch! Raaaay! (ROBERT LAUGHS) We're on the home straight.
Only another day to go.
(BOTH LAUGH) Whoo! Great work! Whoa! Oh, nearly at the finish line! Come on! Come on! Come on, Maximus! (HORN HONKS) (MAXIMUS YELL AND CHEER) Whoo-hoo! Yaaay! Whoo-hoo! Yeeew! Ra-raaay! Well, teams, first of all, congratulations to both of you because you managed to complete what was technically an OARsome - excuse the pun - challenge.
But it was - it was a really difficult challenge and you both did it.
So first of all, well done to both of you.
A round of applause all round.
(ALL CLAP) This week, the winners are - the Anoraks, so well done! (ANORAKS CHEER) ROBERT: Well done, guys.
You didn't know, did you, guys? (LAUGHS) There you go.
Yeah.
Go on, get the champagne open.
(ALL LAUGH) ROBERT: Oh, yes! Oh, yes!