African Mahogany Featured in Tsunami Proof Plywood Boat
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CNC router used to cut shapes and templates for the tsunami proof boat.
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Designer Chris Robinson pictured inside tsunami proof boat.
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Backyard view of the tsunami proof boat.
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Designer Chris Robinson with his partially built tsunami plywood boat.
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Tsunami proof boat plywood exterior
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Test spin for the tsunami proof boat.
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Vertical plywood spheres making up the hull portion of the tsunami proof boat.

PALO ALTO, CA -- A Tsunami-proof boat made of marine plywood is being created by a Palo Alto, CA, designer, Chris Robinson, in his backyard.

Robinson, who says he has never built or sailed a boat, lives about 60 miles from the water and is lacking in math skills, is building this 22-feet-long, 10-feet-wide and 8-feet-wide maritime creation in his two-car garage with basic woodworking equipment and supplies. The all wood boat when completed will have approximately 1,000 pieces including African mahogany plywood strips.

With the movie "Noah" topping the box office over the past weekend, it seems an easy comparison but Robinson explains in this video that the origins of this two-year project began in late 2011 when three events happened that year had a significant impact: 1) a pitch from an astronaut discussing the possibilities of meteors striking the earth and creating giant tsunamis, 2) watching the last half of the movie "2012," which also featured tsunamis destroying the earth and 3) the Japanese tsunami.

The Tsunamiball boat is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

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