Dutch Carpenter Builds Full-Size Replica of Noah's Ark

TIME Newsfeed ^ | 7/1/11 | Zachary Cohen

[marshmallow]

Johan Huibers just finished a building a new ark that is even bigger than his original one, pictured here.

It turns out somebody actually knows what a cubit is. Because one man converted the Biblical measurements to create a scale model of Noah's ark. And it's big. Really big.

Johan Huibers of the Netherlands had a dream in 1991 that Holland was flooding. Three years and $1.6 million later, Huibers has a shiny new tourist attraction. The boat, which is as long as football field and four stories high, will be opened to the public as a tourist attraction with a religious message.

The ship can hold 1,500 people, but not two of every animal. Instead, he's opted for life-size plastic replicas of elephants, giraffes and others to adorn the decks. The animals that will make the voyage? The ones that can fit into a petting zoo and an aviary, which will be held on the top deck.

Huibers previously built an ark half the size of his most recent project. He was able to use the money gained from entrance fees to finance the full-scale boat.

He hopes to sail down the Thames River and dock in London for the 2012 Olympics.

[Larry Lucido]

Checking the weather now....

[Poison Pill]

Did he use Gopher wood?

[Krankor]

Umm...how exactly did he know what it looked like? Is there a photo on page 267 of the Bible?

[Bosco]

It’s next to Jesus’s high school yearbook picture. /s

[JimmyMc]

Where is the pooper scooper?

[Krankor]

Is that the debate team picture or the camera club?

[familyop]

"Did he use Gopher wood?"

Nope--no hardwood. Only pine with steel reinforcement. I reckon that's all his budget could handle.

[GOYAKLA]

” Lord, what’s a Cubit “. Bill Cosby

[smokingfrog]

We have a serious problem on the poop deck.

[rockrr]

I think he got the plans from an old copy of Popular Mechanics ;-)

[familyop]

And he didn’t have 120 years to build it. ;-)

[dog breath]

I love it, Christian eccentric dudes do things like build really cool versions of Noah’s Ark, while Muslim eccentric dudes to show their faith blow up innocent women and children.

[familyop]

Oops...or maybe 100 years. It’s study time anyway. ...will look into that again.

[Grizzled Bear]

Let me know if he starts collecting green aligators, along with some geese, some humpty back camels and some chimpanzees...

[Tanniker Smith]

One would need to know what the original looked like before one could build a replica, wouldn't one?

Or should I say "two"?

[Fiji Hill]

The cubit is still used by some, including re-enactors who wear great kilts at Renaissance fairs and similar events, as well as makers of these garments. Since the length of a cubit varies with each person, garments can be adjusted accordingly.

[Fiji Hill]

Let me know if he starts collecting green aligators, along with some geese, some humpty back camels and some chimpanzees...

...and some cats and rats and elephants...

[Grizzled Bear]

...as sure as you’re born, do you think he can find a Unicorn?

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Yes, does he know something about the weather that we don’t?

I hope he doesn’t take any termites aboard.