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Thread: Almost another drowned P38 :-0

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Townsville, QLD
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    Almost another drowned P38 :-0

    Decided to go for a drive with a group of friends yesterday! Was good seeing as the trip with the local Landy club fell through!

    It wasn't a hard drive, but we've had some rain lately! There were only three obstacles that posed a threat!

    The first was a creek crossing. Water at about headlight depth. After watching a few drive through I pulled out the snatch strap and hooked it up ready for impending snuff-out... Luckily, before attempting to cross it, we discovered a hidden side track which went around it, so I took the strap off and drove it. Simple!

    The second was a muddy hill climb. Driving down it (en-route to the beach) I had to physically accelerate to get down as my 255-60-18's were the smallest tyres of the lot, and I was tail end Charlie! No worries, got down ok! Now jumping ahead in time on the trip back, it was thought that nobody would get up under their own steam, even the boys on 35's, so we sent one up with a winch to have a go under the thought that he could winch the rest of us up. After four or 5 goes and much soot, the first one got up (was a GU coil cab turbo diesel on 35's). Next was a defender on 35's. He nailed it before the creek at the bottom and bounced his way up first go! Then we decided due to my tyres being the smallest, I was next. I had to take it easy as I had a sleeping 3yo in the back (does anyone know how a child can sleep while being bounced around off road? I don't get it!), so I idled through the creek and waited for the rear tyres to come up the bank, the selected manual and locked in second cog. Launch time! Mud flied everywhere, but luckily for the power of the mighty 4.6 I kept moving and made it to the top on my own and 3yo still sleeping!

    The others followed suit, until the lucky last! A defender with 33" tyres. A few tries and it was winch time. No major issues there, he got up eventually! I think lack of power in the old 200tdi didn't help the cause.

    Then we go back in time to the last obstacle on the way in - a 50m water crossing. I hadn't seen the other vehicles go through as I was back in the pack and had to stop for the little one. When I came to the crossing I thought straight away that it wasn't going to happen. There was suggestion of another side track, I drive a few hundred metres of it in axle-deep water and mud before the track started to disappear and all I could see was grass! A swift 3-point turn, a few revs and I was out, yet still faced this crossing...

    Snatch strap at the ready and a bit of guidance, here we go!

    Low second locked in, eased on in and gave her some right foot. A big bow wave came up over the bonnet for an easy 15m, the front popped up for some fresh air, cough cough, back under again (I'm just over half way through now - I'm not stopping!), up and out the other side, cough cough, then I turned the motor off.

    Luckily for me, only a few dribbles of water made it past the air filter, and I always carry a spare filter in the car. Removed the intake pipe and drained the water from the baffles (now I appreciate why they are there - had there not been baffles I may have ingested almost a litre of murky water). Fired her up again and 200m we were on the beach! No worries! A lad with a disco 2 also found water in the intake, and as with me he had no snorkel! Goes to show what benefit a snorkel really is - he dried his air filter on the beach in the sun before we returned and the rest of the drive was fine for him.

    The afternoon was good, I'm now quite sunburnt as a result, but we still had to get back out. My plan was originally to leave early as I had commitments with SWMBO, which I couldn't do without the security of another vehicle to aid if things went wrong in the creek, or at the muddy hill climb. So we waited the afternoon out with everyone (most had gone for a walk up the beach with rods and kids looking for shells).

    Packed up and ready to rock, we got to the creek again. This time there was no way I was going to risk a drowning, especially so close to sun-down. I hooked my strap up to the vehicle in front and we both eased into it. Gotta give this lad credit as he just poked along steady steady, as much as I was hoping he would give it the berries! I drove along behind him patiently with just a hint of tension on the strap so it didn't end up beneath my car. Both out the other side and this time no water in my air box.

    It was an easy trip, but very nerve racking at the creeks! And now an extremely dirty P38 to wash! I'm getting my snorkel very very soon!

    Cheers
    Keithy

    2002 P38 Range Rover HSE

    Sequential LPG - Redarc Charger - TPMS - Ashcroft Locker
    Wheel Carrier - Bullbar & Spotlights - 285/75/16 BFG KM3’s
    On Board Solar - Stainless Snorkel - 2” Suspension Lift

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Gosford, NSW, Australia
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    Great write up as usual

    The snorkel is a must have, I can't quite believe no one is making them

    Steve

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
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    Perth W.A. (Gidgegannup).
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    Pics Keithy, pics

    Glad you got through unscathed mate!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Adelaide Hills
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Townsville, QLD
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    Pics will take time! I'm not near a PC for another week yet ;-) there's a video of the muddy hill on Facebook, I'll share it to the AULRO Facebook page if I can

    2002 P38 Range Rover HSE

    Sequential LPG - Redarc Charger - TPMS - Ashcroft Locker
    Wheel Carrier - Bullbar & Spotlights - 285/75/16 BFG KM3’s
    On Board Solar - Stainless Snorkel - 2” Suspension Lift

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