Sealegs

bedajim · 28 August 2008, 07:12

Saw this at the weekend

They loaded up on the beach with the front wheel raised and then did a nice three point turn and set off

Looked like a very well finished bit of kit it had a 100 hp fitted but would take 115 and the second engine for the wheels sounded like an air cooled petrol engine

bedajim · 28 August 2008, 07:14

Some more

SeaSkills · 28 August 2008, 13:02

Nice idea - but I can't decide if it looks worse on the water or on the beach

Markyboyo · 28 August 2008, 13:17

I had a look at these at the Earls court show last year. They do have an air-cooled petrol engine running a hydraulic pump to give a top speed of about 6MPH from memory. I think the hull is all aluminium? The top speed is pretty low as they weigh loads!
I've seen one since down on the Helford River in Cornwall.....

prairie tuber · 28 August 2008, 14:14

The system looks like it is very well built.

ALANT · 28 August 2008, 15:38

Must have been a weekend for them, one at Findhorn on the Moray Firth on Saturday. They have changed the design of the front wheel since I saw them in NZ about 4 years ago. The front went into a cutout section in the bow so sat higher out of the water.

The guy I saw had a bit of a problem he didn't start his engine before the wheels left the seabed so drifted into the pontoons

opps.

Trickdog · 28 August 2008, 16:15

I was looking at these things at the Southampton boat show a couple of years back. I thought they seemed a bit cumbersome however I read a review in a boat mag shortly afterwards that said the on water performance was really impressive (they also hold the world speed record for amphibious craft!). Neat idea but a bit pricey. They are built in New Zealand, with hulls and consoles made from aluminium.

Jim having seen your very impressive trailer engineering at Penmarlam, I'm sure you could develop something similar for your Osprey

David