Germiston-based special effects creator Gerhard van der Heever will soon be involved in a Guinness World Record attempt, at the Rhino Motorcycle Rally, in Parys.<\/p>\n
The attempt will be to beat the existing world record distance of riding a motorcycle through a fire tunnel.<\/p>
The current record of 103m is held by South Africans Enrico Schoeman and Andr\u00e9 de Kock, with an Australian sidecar.<\/p>\n
Using the same sidecar, they will attempt a record distance of 120m, on September 5.<\/p>
The fire tunnel used consists of a steel frame, wrapped in thick cardboard, soaked in diesel and petrol and then set alight.<\/p>\n
That is where Gerhard will come in.<\/p>\n
“The entire tunnel needs to catch fire at the same time, which is a difficult task with 240m of soaked cardboard facing one,” he said.<\/p>\n
He will use a multitude of tiny explosive charges, linked with electrical cord, to start the fire.<\/p>\n
“The Guinness World Record rules state that the entire tunnel needs to be on fire when the motorcycle goes through it, and I decided on the strung-out electrical charges method to accomplish this,” Gerhard explained.<\/p>\n
The SFX by Gerhard van der Heever Company, in Sunnyridge, is an all-media special effects concern with licensed pyrotechnicians.<\/p>\n
They can create illusions featuring wind, fire, water, smoke, snow and explosions.<\/p>\n
Gerhard was involved with the previous successful fire tunnel record attempt.<\/p>\n
“Usually I create illusions, but this record attempt is very real and hellishly dangerous,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Mistakes can simply not be made, and it is a very exciting experience.”<\/p>\n