FIRMS TRY TO SELL AGENCIES ON AMPHIBIOUS CARS WITH BARNEGAT BAY DEMONSTRATION: Four high-speed amphibious vehicles, two that could have been mistaken for camouflaged convertibles and another dubbed the Humdinga, descended a borough boat ramp Tuesday morning in a test drive of sorts. State Police marine officers and the U.S. Coast Guard gave the vehicles a trial run, testing them on both land and water. Representatives of the makers of the amphibious vehicles, including defense contractor Lockheed-Martin and Gibbs Technology, were on hand for the demonstration. They resemble cars. But if you look closely between the rear tires - tires that fold up and under the vehicle when in the water - you'll see a rudder. The Aquada vehicles resemble the Mazda Miata sports car, but with a camouflage paint job and three seats across the front. The Humdinga looks like a descendent of the Hummer sport utility vehicle but it can cruise in the water like boat. According to the Gibbs Web site, the transition from road vehicle to high-speed amphibian craft is achieved by pressing a button and driving into the water. The wheels automatically rise and as you press the accelerator nearly a metric ton of thrust lets the Aquada plane across the water. The whole process takes less than 12 seconds and the Aquada can plane at more than 30 mph, the Web site said. The Humdinga also transforms from land to water mode at a touch of a button. State Police marine officers and Coast Guard members had an opportunity to test the vehicles and cruised slowly through the no-wake zone in the Barnegat Bay. But once they hit the open water they accelerated the vehicles let loose. Members of the State Police and Coast Guard returned to the boat ramp after their romp in the bay but declined to comment about their experience, saying they didn't want it to appear as if they were endorsing the vehicles. Lockheed Martin spokesman Ken Ross said right now the commercial line of vehicles has not been launched, and the companies are meeting with different organizations to see how the technology would benefit them. "When you look at the technology that is out there now, this is the difference between recovery and rescue. This is a capability where you can figure out how to go from land to sea and sea to land in a matter of minutes, where with a boat you cannot do that," Ross said. Exact prices for the vehicles have not been disclosed, according to Ross, but he said the Aquada model would be priced at $80,000. "I think with any kind of technology there's going be a cost issue, but agencies should look at the capability it will bring and how it will fit in with what their mission is," Ross said.

AbnCrazy (4/17/2008)

---

How well do they work in the surf? One thing on a calm lake, but Ocean or the Great Lakes is another thing...
Pretty damned cool!