Check Out the Boat With Retractable Treads That Can Crawl on Land!
- Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:28pm by
Liz Klimas
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This post originally appeared on Gizmodo by Andrew Liszewski.
Forget about finding a boat launch to easily slip the Iguana 29′ into the water. Tucked away against its hull are a set of retractable caterpillar treads that let it drive in and out under its own power.
(Photo: Iguana Yachts)
It was designed and developed by Antoine Fritsch and Tanguy le Bih as a way to make boating more accessible in areas where the coming and going of the tides are very extreme. With a top land speed of just five miles per hour it will still need to be transported using a boat trailer, but it removes the need of having to find a safe place to back the boat up into the water so it can be launched.
Check it out:
The long set of caterpillar treads actually exert less pressure on the ground than a human, so the boat doesn‘t tear up the terrain as it lumbers towards the water where it can then reach speeds of up to 40 mph once they’re retracted. It can comfortably seat and carry up to ten passengers, making it particularly ideal as a way to ferry people between water locked locations, and a planned hybrid version will even be able to run under electric power where the gas engine is considered too loud.
(Photo: Iguana Yachts)
While it looks like the perfect ride for beach landings and assaults, it’s lacking any kind of sleeping area making it difficult to use for overnight excursions, and even more difficult to justify its expected $287,000 price tag. For that kind of money you could just strap a Boston Whaler to an old bulldozer with change leftover.
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Comments (45)
cyclops
Posted on November 27, 2011 at 10:04amWatch out or else the OWS will claimed that the blue print of the boat belongs to them……..LOL!!!!!!
Report Post »BrotherWill
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:23amThats incredible! Incredibly behind in technology and soon to be out of business because of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgv9nqo0kGs
Report Post »BrotherWill
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 8:21amWow! You guys are bit behind in technology. They are making these here in Michigan right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgv9nqo0kGs
Kind of makes it look like you guys are trying to re-invent fire now doesn’t it?
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 11:24pmThat is an amphibious car; this is a terrestrial boat. Neither has sleeping quarters. I am sure the ‘car’ is also very expensive. It is from the toys of the rich that everyday marvels come from.
Case in point: the microwave oven.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 11:29pmI remember my parents shopping ( we were stationed in Va > ‘68?) and looking at this thing that cooked bacon on a paper towel. I remember it being several hundred dollars?
today? how much is a microwave? Innovation takes many queer twists …
Report Post »GENE BLISTER
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 12:26amHeck, Larry Moe and Curly-Joe had this taken care of in 1962!
http://www.kiddiematinee.com/t-3stoogesorbit.html
Report Post »colorado
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 9:56pm“Water Car” makes this look like an erector set. And goes 55-60 on the water, while laying patch on the road. Google that!
Report Post »digitalist
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 8:33pmHowe & Howe’s amphibious vehicle is better.
http://www.howeandhowetechnologies.com/vehicles.php?prod=riptide
Report Post »colorado
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 9:54pmWhy on earth would you buy one of these when you could buy a “Water Car” That rides like a jet boat on water and lays rubber on the road? Google that.
Report Post »docvet
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 4:19pmWait a minute! Wait a minute! When it was coming ashore the first time, it looked like it was driving over sea urchins or sea weed. The price has to go up considerably because an underwater TV camera and monitor needs to be installed to allow the craft to drive around sea unchins, baby turtles and kids toes. Can’t have tank treads whipping around willy-nilly at 1 mph. Actually a well designed vehicle for the 1%ers.
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 7:22pmBetter call Peta for those sea urchins….
Report Post »Praise Capitalism!!
voiceofreason305
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 8:14pmball bearings + salt water = seizure. logical questions + “The Blaze” = blocked by admin….
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 4:10pmBig deal…, how about a water going RV?:
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsrDKdpcj9Q
lukerw
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 3:51pmThe Military called them “Ducks” in WWII.
Report Post »calonzap
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 5:19pmHahahaha – you’re absolutely correct. I haven’t heard that term in years.
Report Post »AntipasMetochos
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 3:37pmPretty cool, but I think I‘ll stick with my 17’ Grumman Canoe. Bought it new in ‘74, and it still gets into the skinny water where the bass are laying.
Report Post »Mr_Drayton
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 5:43pmGreat canoe!
Report Post »I got one with a 4hp outboard. A lot cheaper to run and will go anywhere.
AntipasMetochos
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 9:21pmYeah, Mr_Drayton, I put a small MinnKota on it, runs all day on one charge (or, until the beer runs out). Used to be able to throw it up on my shoulders. But, I ain’t 86 no more.
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 3:21pmAt that price, I’ll just fish from the bank.
Report Post »john1417
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 2:12pmHere check these out a car and a motorhome.
Report Post »http://terrawind.com/terrawind.htm
http://terrawind.com/terrawind.htm
COFemale
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 2:08pmPretty slick, but out of my price range. I am just looking to make my next house payment.
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 3:25pmWhy did you even make the comment?
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on November 26, 2011 at 11:37pmGRAYLING646
Is there something wrong with COFEMALE admiring something nifty? Lots of us here are trying to makes ends meet and still have conservative values.
Report Post »AND like to look at cool stuff. AND still say “can’t afford it”
Dishevel
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 2:07pmHmm.
Are there better solutions? Check.
Are there cheaper solutions? Check.
Are there better, cheaper solutions? Check.
Is there a reason for this story?
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 2:10pmYes, new technology for those who can afford it.
You know you are not obligated by the Blaze to comment or even read the post. Beside when you own your own site, you can post whatever floats your boat. You don’t like the post, go away.
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 3:24pm@cofemale:
You know you are not obligated by the Blaze to comment or even read the post. Beside when you own your own site, you can post whatever floats your boat. You don’t like the post, go away.
Right back at you. If YOU don’t like what people are posting, go away YOURSELF.
Report Post »RodT82721
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:24pmOnly $275,000.00 to keep from having to back your boat trailer down a ramp, into the water! This has got to be some government funded exercise in how to waste tax monies. After all the Navy had these types of vehicles since WWII!
Report Post »The boat/car, airplane/car prototypes have been around for decades, now if someone could just find a real need!
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:36pmIndeed, I believe one such amphib-car was called the “duck” or such. Discovery channel had a program on it a few years ago.
Report Post »lcallday
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 2:04pmWhat? No rappelling hooks to climb trees with? What good is it?
Report Post »JoeDirt2012
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:23pmNice idea…but I live in Florida. If you used this boat in salt water….it would be junk in about 6 months.
Report Post »Salt water just tears mechanical things up. Down here, it’s hard enough to keep a boat trailer operating properly. Nice concept….good luck with it…………
PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:07pmWhat’s the big deal . In the early 1960 ies they had a two seater car called Sunbeam that went from street to water and sure was more practical then this crap. Slumming for news are we “ The Blaze ”
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:19pmPretty sure you mean the Amphicar, Sunbeam never made anything that floated…
Report Post »http://www.amphicars.com/
CatB
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:04pmIf you had a home right on the water (like the Gulf of Mexico near me) this would be great —no more having to go down to the boat launch or pay for the marina.
Report Post »RichNGadsden
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:55pmNeat, and I realize that prototypical vehicles of any kind are going to expensive. But, don’t the Marines have a better one already?
Report Post »Ironeagle
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:55pmGood concept, ugly as hell.
Report Post »GTH
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:46pmMore…..“More money than Brains” STUPIDITY.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 1:02pmWhen you’re broke, lots of stuff must appear that way, I imagine.
Report Post »applehill
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:45pmAn Christmas is right around the corner. :)
Report Post »DavidZion
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:38pmHoly cow I can by a helicopter with inflatable pontoons for that much. Or a 4×4 Truck a few ATV’s and a nice boat for the same money.
Report Post »Jomil48
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:34pmThis would be great for getting in those hard to get fishing spots
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:51pmespecially here in texas where the lake levels are so low that in some cases you can not even access the lake any where,and if you can,you have to back several hundred feet out and still have to push the boat until you can get the prop down just low enough to get it moving, it is so dry here that the fish i caught yesterday had ticks on it,
Report Post »Winedude
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:30pmCool!
Report Post »claymoremacm
Posted on November 25, 2011 at 12:44pmVery Cool!
Report Post »