Sealegs Amphibious Craft are a type of amphibious vehicle manufactured by Sealegs International Ltd, a company based in

Auckland, New Zealand Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

. Sealegs craft are aluminium fabricated boats fitted with either a hydraulic amphibious system or an electric amphibious system. Both amphibious systems consist of three

wheel A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle Bearing (mechanical), bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the Simple machine, six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction wi ...

sone fitted to the bow and two fitted to the transom of the craft. In craft with the hydraulic system, these wheels are lifted, lowered and driven by the hydraulic system which is powered by a

petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends (such as ''E ...

mounted on the deck. In craft with the electric system, the wheels are equipped with brushless high-torque electric motors, and powered by a central 48-volt 7-kWh lithium battery pack. Sealegs began production in 2005, and the company had sold 1000 units into 50 countries. Sealegs craft can travel up to 39 knots on water and up to 7.5 km/hr on land. The craft are used in both recreational and commercial applications worldwide. Commercial applications include emergency response and rescue, patrol, and tourism. They are used by emergency services in Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the United States. Sealegs entering water

History

Sealegs amphibious craft were invented by New Zealander Maurice Bryham. After prototyping the craft, he partnered with David Mckee Wright to incorporate Sealegs International and begin production in 2005. In June 2005, businessman Maurice Bryham set a new world record for crossing the

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in an amphibious vehicle at 43 minutes and 12 seconds. This defeated a record of 1 hour and 40 minutes, set the previous year by

Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British billionaire, entrepreneur, and business magnate. In the 1970s he founded the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields. Branson expressed ...

in a

Gibbs Aquada The Gibbs Aquada is a high speed amphibious vehicle developed by Gibbs Sports Amphibians. It is capable of speeds over on land and on water. Rather than adding wheels to a boat design, or creating a car that floats, the Aquada was designed f ...

. In early 2009, David Mckee Wright crossed the Cook Strait in a Sealegs craftthe first time this was done in an amphibious vehicle. In 2013, Sealegs CEO David Mckee Wright completed a circumnavigation of the

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

of New Zealand in a Sealegs 7.7m RIB, the first time an amphibious vehicle had done so. In December 2014, Sealegs released a collaboration with New Zealand boat builder Stabicraftthe Stabicraft 2100 ST (Sealegs Technology). In September 2015, Sealegs International announced that it had produced and shipped its 1000th Sealegs craft. In September 2018, International announced the release of the Sealegs Electric.

Models

*6.1m Sport RIB *6.1m Sport D-Tube *7.1m Sport RIB *7.5m Hydrasol RIB *7.7m Sport D-Tube *7.7m Full Width Console RIB *7.7m Cabin RIB *8.5m Alloy Cabin *9.0m Hydrasol RIB (previously known as Interceptor 9000) *Stabicraft 2100 ST

Technology

All-wheel driveSealegs craft come standard with

all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...

. This helps craft negotiate difficult terrain. Oil cooling systemOriginal Sealegs craft could run on land for 10 minutes within every hour without overheating the oil in the inboard engine. For later models, an oil cooling system has been added, which allows the craft to run for 30 minutes within every hour without overheating. Power steeringSealegs craft are fitted with a

power steering A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydraul ...

system. This system can be switched on and off by use of a dash switch. Enhanced power steering (EPS)This uses smart PLC and magnetic sensor technology to provide a smooth transition from water to land. While operating a Sealegs craft with EPS on water, the bow wheel remains central; when the craft switches to land operation, wheel steering locks in. During the transition, EPS ensures wheel alignment is central. Automatic braking systemSealegs craft are fitted with a hydraulic braking system. This system requires hydraulic pressure to release, meaning that when the craft inboard engine is turned off, or if there is a failure in the hydraulic system, the brakes will lock.

References

{{Reflist Wheeled amphibious vehicles