Keeping Old Hags Warm and Dry 2 ....

Lisa at the controls.

Front passenger leg room.

Hags are neither built for comfort or speed. Driver and front passenger are crowded by controls, navigation equipment and heater. Rear seats have the motor and transmission console between but more leg room.

Spacious rear seat.

For the technically minded the water cooled engine is a high revving Mercedes 6 cylinder 4l turbo diesel. In Antarctica they run on Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) fuel which stays stable in very low temperatures. Transmission is automatic and steering through a steering wheel to the rubber tracks. Accelerator, break and park brake are on the floor.

The sea ice recovery exercise required the recovery of one Hagglund that had broken through sea ice. Wilco dug trench in the snow with the dozer to simulate the height of the floating Hag and trailer relative to the surface of the sea ice. There were two Hags travelling together so plenty of people to help.

Ramps, winches, cables etc stowed on the roof.

Hag have two roof hatches so all occupants except driver can escape without flooding the cabin by opening the door while in water. occupants leave in an orderly way by the roof and then pass rescue equipment off the vehicle to the sea ice. Radio communications are maintained between driver and rescue crew. The driver assists the winching by driving when it is possible to have the wheel tracks climb up the ramps. The engine is always left running to keep power to the bilge pumps that clear any leaking water.

Cutting an edge for the tracks to engage.

The edge of the sea ice is made to be about 45 degrees with shovel or chain saw and ramps lowered over the cut edge in line with each track. The ramps are each attached to a winch so they are not lost in the sea ice and can also be winched ahead of the Hag if the ice is breaking under its weight.

Organising the hardware.

The sling permanently attached to the front of the Hag is connected to a steel cable and to a third heavier winch. Dampers are placed over the cables to prevent damage or injury in case they break. And the big winch is put into action.

And now to work the big winch.

Radio contact with driver maintained.

As the Hag is lifted out of the water the driver assists with the accelerator. If the sea ice is breaking both of the ramps would be winched in also. The rescue is coordinated by radio communications between Hag driver and sea ice rescue team.