Marine

November 30, 2004 Sealegs amphibious vehicles can drive straight from land into the water using high-torque, motorised wheels and 'legs' that retract when the craft is afloat. The New Zealand company has unveiled designs for a new Rugged Amphibious Craft (RAC) targeting commercial, military and recreational applications which featues a 140hp inboard engine, jet drive and a solid aluminium hull.  Read More

November 16, 2004 Surfboard design has been miniaturised with the T-BOARD Surf & Swim bodysurfing device, which straps onto one or both hands to create a wider hydroplaning surface and increase bodysurfing speed. The T-BOARD is designed for use on any kind of wave from 0 to 6 feet high and offers freedom of movement as a swimming aid or in swimming freestyle. The T-BOARD features surfboard-like curves, an over-raised handle and a tri-fin system to give more speed, control and security out on the water. Holding and steering with both hands gives total control, and the T-BOARD is not fixed to your hands so you can just push it aside during critical moments like when the wave closes-out.  Read More

November 7, 2004 A small ocean glider named Spray is the first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), to cross the Gulf Stream underwater, proving the viability of self-propelled gliders for long-distance scientific missions and opening new possibilities for studies of the oceans. Launched about 100 miles south of Nantucket Island, the 2-metre orange glider looks like a model airplane with no visible moving parts. It slowly made its way toward Bermuda some 600 miles to the south of Cape Cod at about one-half knot, or 12 miles per day, measuring various properties of the ocean as it glided up to the surface and then back down to 1,000-metres depth (3,300 feet) three times a day. Scientists recovered the vehicle this week north of Bermuda.  Read More

UPDATED: November 3, 2004 Alfa Romeo has sailed its last race in Europe, ending its second season with a win in one of the most remarkable yacht races in history. In winning the Mediterranean's classic offshore event, the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the Alfa Romeo crew suffered gastric flu, being becalmed for hours on end, a man overboard and finally being capsized and destroying over US$200,000 of sails. Despite it all, the all-star crew overcame all obstacles and brought the boat home first. Owner Neville Crichton has announced plans to launch a new yacht in July 2005 so advanced it will outperform the global competition in the same way Alfa Romeo has done for the last two years.  Read More

November 2, 2004 Scuba-Doo International is set to release a suite of products around its new Scuba-Doo underwater scooter. The completely redesigned underwater scooter is now part of a complete range of marine leisure craft that create turnkey marine leisure businesses including the Diver-Doo mobile launching and diving pontoon, the Adventure-Doo boat with underwater glass viewing area and a beach launching platform that enables the Scuba-Doo to be launched by one person. The Adventure-Doo retails for US$48,000 ($46,000 for the four passenger version), with the detachable platform adding US$2000 and of course you'll need two Scuba-Doos with that, so add another US$17,000 each.  Read More

October 21, 2004 Over land, water, ice or snow - the hovercraft offers a cost-effective, multi-purpose vehicle for recreation and transportation with the thrill of travelling on air. And now Universal Hovercraft has marketed a range of affordable hovercraft kits to house up to ten people in this dynamic mode of travelling, including the striking Hoverwing XR with retractable wings.  Read More

Sailing is often likened to standing under the shower tearing up hundred dollar bills. Unless you race in a stellar class such as Maxi Yacht's that is - then you can add a few zeroes to the denominations you're turning into confetti. In early September, 2004, the class got more expensive to run - way more expensive, thanks to the advent of the canting keel. Every boat running at the pointy end of the racing in what are effectively the world championships for Maxi yachts had one of the new canting keels, relegating last year's champ, Alfa Romeo, into sixth place. Before the event, Alfa Romeo had won 70 straight races. Such was the increased pace, Alfa Romeo did not score one rostrum position in six races.  Read More

Adventurer and Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson, set a new world record on June 14, 2004, this time for the fastest crossing of the English Channel by an amphibious craft. Using a Gibbs Aquada, Branson eclipsed the previous fastest-recorded crossing time of six hours by more than four hours. Never missing an opportunity to tie his thrill-seeking with his business objectives, Branson immediately announced that Virgin Airlines is planning to offer some of its Upper Class passengers the chance to experience the Gibbs Aquada when travelling to and from London’s Heathrow airport enabling them to beat the traffic by taking to the Thames.  Read More

This remote controlled submersible is designed to give you first hand experience of the world beneath the waves without so much as dipping a toe in the briny. Spyfish STV is equipped with two cameras, three thrusters and floodlights that enable it to dive to depths of 150 meters and transmit video images back to the surface in real-time.  Read More