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Technology

Amphibious RVing for the Masses 159

Posted by michael from the amtrac dept.
Diesel Dave writes "from the this ain't your grandma's amphi-mobile dept: Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International, LLC, is now marketing their TerraWind line of combination Motor Coach / Yachts. Thats right, a 42 foot Luxury RV you can take to, or in, the lake! With a not exactly cheap pricetag of $850K+, included is the full rigging of luxury home features: Granite countertops, marble floors, teak cabinetry, tracking satellite dish, and 42" plasma TV. Oh and don't forget the swim deck. If I can get one with an ocean rated hull, machine gun turrets, and SVO conversion, I'll have my own portable Sealand. : ) A (temporary) mirror of the site is here to lessen the / . effect."
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Amphibious RVing for the Masses More

Amphibious RVing for the Masses

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  • Great (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Until they sink, like Boston Duck Tours did a couple of years ago.

  • Target market? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:06PM (#6527304)
    It's what trailer folk can buy when they win the lotto!

  • Hoax or crap (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Omega1045 ( 584264 )
    Despite the fact I think the photos look like a hoax, I can't believe that this thing is too stable in water. It would appear to be very long and narrow. Sea sickness is probably a big problem with this one.

  • I can see it now (Score:4, Funny)

    by NetNinja ( 469346 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:07PM (#6527315)
    When you want to dump your waste tank just jump in the local lake.

    Phisteria are us!

  • Perfect for New Orleans (Score:5, Funny)

    by kstumpf ( 218897 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:07PM (#6527317)
    Finally, my parents can evacuate when a hurricane or flood threat is looming. I'm buying my parents this as soon as I make $850,000 so they can cruise to safety while making cheddar cheese omelettes and listening to Willie Nelson.

  • Show of hands (Score:1, Redundant)

    by El ( 94934 )
    Ok, all the /. readers that can actually afford this, please raise your hands... yeah, that's what I thought...
    • Oh, I dunno. I myself have hundreds of thousands of dollars to throw away and in the last few years I've frequently found myself thinking "Gee, wouldn't it be cool if I had a huge amphibious bus to drive around in..."

      regards,
      some rich dude
  • I have an amphibious vehicle of my own, but mine has an added feature....it sinks.

  • A mirror?? (Score:5, Funny)

    by jimson ( 516491 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:08PM (#6527331) Homepage
    What the hell is happening to slashdot??

  • When... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by mgcsinc ( 681597 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:08PM (#6527334)
    When $850K+ became "for the masses," I'll never know...
    • For the masses of convertible instruments: Kruegerrands, diamonds, gold bars, etc.

      You don't think they meant the hoi polloi, now, did you?

    • You want a floating bus for the masses? Screw $850K. Monster Garage did it for under $3K:
      http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/monstergar age/ep isode/episode_08.html

      Theres some pics of it in the water here:
      http://origprod.com/MG08.html

      Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a site with good "in the water" pics.
      • Monster garage has NEVER completed a project for $3K, the vehicles are donated and most time 3/4 of the budget is donated. Look at the Cooper Mini episode, the brand new car was free and so were the snowmobile bases, all they had to buy was the glue parts. It's the one BS thing about the show I wish they would ditch, it's cool that they don't have an unlimited budget and that they only have a week to do what would normally be months of work, but they should be honest about the actual cost of the projects.
        • Yeah, granted the base vehicle is a gimme, not included in $3000, but beyond that (with the exception of the hot air ballon) I don't think they really get any official help from the show. I get the impression it's all deals the guys on the show cut, calling in favors, haggling, begging, etc. Perhaps the show does arrange all the Freebies, but at least I don't get that impression.

          But I think that is aside from my point. The pontoon bus is much closer to "for the masses" than $850K
          • They are placed ads, the fact that someone who has read slashdot for any amount of time can't spot em (come on, even my 9 year old cousin smelled em) suprises me. I just wish they would be honest about it.
            • Placed ads? I don't know. Quite often they bring in a freebie with no mention of who it was donated by and no company name on it that I can see. I remember several times I was thinking that the donaters were probably disappointed because the builders probably told them that they'd get some publicity on the show if they gave free parts, only to have the freebie brought in with no mention on the show of who it's from.
    • The subject as I submitted it was:
      Amphibious RVing for the Masses (of Yuppies)

      Michael chopped it...

  • Why pay $850K (Score:5, Informative)

    by Rosco P. Coltrane ( 209368 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:08PM (#6527336)
    when you can do DIY [rpa.net]!

    This thing is an old milk truck trailer and has set out to go around the world.

  • Scout vehicle (Score:5, Funny)

    by jemenake ( 595948 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:09PM (#6527341)
    And for quick trips to the shore and scouting, it comes with a dinghy made out of a Fiat convertable. :)
  • I somehow missed making a connection. This is "News for Nerds" or "Stuff that Matters" exactly how again?

    • Re:slashdot material (Score:1, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Nerds love stupid and pointless but impressive and excessive technology that makes them feel more powerful!
  • but its site can't. Its starting to take on a slashdotting.
  • I want the salvage rights until they work out the kinks!

  • Stripes.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Tmurder ( 661223 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:13PM (#6527379)
    anyone else picture Bill Murray and Harold Ramis driving this in Czechoslovakia?

    "Come on, it's Czechoslovakia. We zip in, we pick 'em up, we zip right out again. We're not going to Moscow. It's Czechoslovakia, it's like going into Wisconsin."
    "Well, I got the sh** kicked out of me in Wisconsin once. Forget it. "
  • sweet!

    Since I don't have $850K lying around, I'll see if I can borrow hers this weekend.
  • Those water photos gave me a good laugh this afternoon. My cube neighbor and I were making up quotes for the guy standing on the dock watching the RV pull out of the lake....

  • priced AT $850K? no... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Tumbleweed ( 3706 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:14PM (#6527389)
    "Prices from the $850,000's"

    Please to note the 'from'. Eek!

    For that price, I'd expect the weapons systems to be included (with ammo). Forget Sealand, I'm thinking more along the lines of Damnation Alley! Ohh, the choice of bumperstickers for one of those babies..."Tailgaters will be shot," "I brake for NOBODY," etc.

  • Old news... (Score:5, Funny)

    by morbuz ( 592480 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:15PM (#6527396)
    The cubans have had those for years;
    http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=69190 (Norwegian, but the picture should suffice)
    • Sorry, no link. I just saw on CNN, a big rig truck modified to become a slow-moving boat. It made it to about 20 miles off the coast before the passengers were retrieved and returned to Cuba. I wish they would have made it to the USA. America needs more ingeniously creative people.

  • On the other end of the scale ... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Rosco P. Coltrane ( 209368 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:15PM (#6527397)
    the Shuttle Bike kit [shuttlebikeusa.com].

    I have one : it's great fun for much less than $850K, and you can go on the "bridge" without opening a door and sinking the vehicle in the process.

    • Ya know, if I mixed that with a cheap folding bike, and a larget backpack, I could literally go anywhere up here in the dotCA. I could disappear for weeks at a time in the northern wilderness and not have transportation issues at all... I want.

      Folding bike to cary on your back while rock climbing or rapelling, amphibious addition to the bike for river crossing and a larger backpack to carry the stuff in that I need to gather food and sleep.(I don't use a tent when camping, a blanket and an emergency tarp f
    • I've actually thought of something similar for a traditional RV; a pontoon-type platform that the RV could drive onto; a special differential would connect the RV power plant to the pontoon's prop, and the rudder would be directed from the RV's cabin.

      The challenge I run into is getting the RV on and off the pontoon. You'd almost need a special dock, ala ferry boats. I also think it would be a shitty boat -- poor control other than forwards and real wide turns.

  • Here's the prototype. (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:16PM (#6527401)
    Not quite as polished but it's a start [yahoo.com].

    [music]Junkyard Wars[/music]

  • Good God I fucking hate RVs (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    What is wrong with you people! Are you so afraid of the great outdoors that you can't spend a couple of weeks without your Pop-Tart-O-Matic?

  • Geez, if they're going to charge US$850K per RV, you'd think they'd shell out an few extra bucks for a spiffier website...
  • Being a concerned shopper I think it would be wise to ask...

    Does it have a USB interface?

  • Things used to be different (Score:3, Funny)

    by Hogwash McFly ( 678207 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:18PM (#6527413)
    Granite countertops, marble floors, teak cabinetry, tracking satellite dish, and 42" plasma TV?

    You youngsters have it so easy these days. Back in my time our cars would only go on land. If we wanted to travel across water we would lash a few logs together with our bare hands. We didn't have no blinkin' plasma TV either, all we had for entertainment was a deck of cards, and we only had 3 suits! Amphibious RV...Jesus Christ...

  • Darwin Awards (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I nominate the first group of people to pay $1million+ for one of these and attempt to take it out into water for a Darwin Award, after they dredge for their bodies.
  • ill bet this thing doesnt work too well on rough water being in Iowa all of the lakes are EXTREMELY rough all the time. now minesota that would be the place for this. btw is there a way to get out of it while your on the water? doesnt seem to safe, not to mention really high in the water. personaly I'd rather save my money for somethign a little safter and more practicle.

    personal jet anyone?

  • They're using special versions of the Terra-Hydra, http://www.camillc.com/, as tour buses in the Philadelphia area. They take you crusiing on the Delaware river and then drive around town. Pretty cool if you ask me. I don't know if the tour is any good, since I haven't done it, but it's definitely a cool idea.
  • Did somebody manage to mirror the mirror? No really!

  • too bad.... (Score:2, Offtopic)

    by malraid ( 592373 )
    ...that the moderation points I have, don't work to mod down the story as "Off-Topic"

  • 2x the slashdotting (Score:5, Funny)

    by mocktor ( 536122 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @06:25PM (#6527464) Homepage
    "the operation timed out when connecting to www.terrawind.com"
    "the operation timed out when connecting to www linkscape.net"

    kickass, the slashdot effect scales!
    • I think thier bandwidth bill will be $850K

      BTW, anyone know the average load (in MB) of a typical slashdotting? (Assuming an average website like this one) That would be interesting to find out, perhaps we could make a unit out of it.
  • Here's some cubans [yahoo.com] in there amphibian.

    M@

  • Temporary Mirror (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    It certainly was temporary.

    ~Blake
  • I'll be impressed when I can have my Winnebago fly around in space and get chased by a giant transforming vacuum... at ludicrous speed!
  • "Springfield . . . number one in aquacar production!"
  • I bet Noah could have used one of these....

    </religion>
  • A (temporary) mirror of the site is here to lessen the / . effect.

    If that's not a challenge, I don't know what is.

  • We sunk it.

  • You all did exactly what good little do-bees do...you said "I'm not going to slashdot the site, I'll use the mirror!"...

    A few thousand "I'll"s later and the mirror is dead, while the original site lives on. Congratulations.

  • ...and it needs a bigger wireless antenna

    It's pretty bad when you can slashdot both the main site *and* the mirror...
  • <sea_captain>
    Yarr

    This RV is really.......Yarr
    </sea_captain>

    or:

    <cletus the slack jawed yocal>
    Hey Brandine, go scrape off some of them there barney-cools so's that we can have some of that thur fancy seafood likes they have at thu happy eater...
    </cletus the slack jawed yocal>
  • But does it run SCO/Linux?
  • Now it won't just be caravans of American motor homes holding up me up when I go fishing for rainbows in the Cariboo lakes. You will be able to get in traffic jams on our lakes as well! Personal water craft are bad enough but this is rediculous. You can bet someone will bring out a cheaper version for fishing with this contraption. Transport Canada will most likely be pressured into alowing it! I think will go out and put out some well placed dead heads.

  • Around the World in "Half-Safe" (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Mad Man ( 166674 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @07:02PM (#6527711)
    Some guy travelled around the world in a GPA, which is basically an amphibious World War II jeep. He named his vehicle "Half-Safe [amphibiousvehicle.net]."

    He wrote a book about it called "The Other Half of Half-Safe [google.com]."
  • ... like these inventive Cubans [bbc.co.uk].
  • Looks like grehound bus which run into the lake.

  • Yeah, I've seen this on the Wild Thornberries!

    ...uh...

    not that I watch the show, mind you. It's for my kid. Yeah. Thats it.
  • Everyone beat me to the Cuban thing!
    And I thought I had an exclusive on that.

  • I have a '51 Chevy that seats a dozen and will do 13 knots with a good breeze.

  • Cost and some other things (Score:3, Interesting)

    by afidel ( 530433 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @08:20PM (#6528172)
    I wonder how the price of these things compares to a comperably equiped Featherlite coach?? The amenities sound almost exactly like what the Featherlite guy was rattling off on one of those Discovery channel bike week shows. Also anyone interested in extreme vehicles should check out Mercedes Unimogs, those things can do almost everything, from fire engines to light cranes, to railroad repair vehicles (those are equiped with a boom for unloading ties and steel wheels to travel down the tracks!). Also I have to throw in my favorite story that combines geekdom, survivalism, anti-government mentality, and extreme vehicles, The Consultant [comcast.net]

  • I'm still saving up to get my very own Pheonix 1000 Submarine Yacht [ussubs.com]. I've only got $77,999,900 to go.

  • sell one quick and buy some more bandwidth so we can see the damn things!

  • Looks like I saw this in GMA earlier in the week... /. is slipping. Also I say "looks like" because I can't pull up the sites due to the /. effect, (so maybe /. isn't slipping).

    Anyway, on GMA, I was absolutely amazed that the owner said it had a 20KiloWatt generator on board. Even more amazed when the interviewer (Tony Perkins-GMA weather guy) didn't blink an eye at that statistic. Most 3000 sqft houses pull less than that at peak load! Assuming they guy didn't misspeak, the only thing I can figure is the

  • UNSINKABLE!!! (Score:3, Funny)

    by canning ( 228134 ) on Thursday July 24, 2003 @10:12PM (#6528851) Homepage
    link [camillc.com]

    Hmmmm. Now where have I heard that before?
  • OK,

    It looks like a standard state-of-the-art RV on the road. Then it goes sploosh into the water to become a no-performance water vessel. Me-thinks the approach is all wrong since it is easier to design a wheeled land interface than a hydologic one - why not start with a decent boat design and figure our how to deploy the land_wheels?
    Sheesh, I looked at a bunch of links offered in this thread and saw alot of boxy road vehicles modded for the water. Paradigm change time - build me a fast boat that rolls
  • My own Amtrac [fsu.edu]. Make that two things: I want somebody to explain why we had to use them to invade them to invade [sun-sentinel.com] a desert country???!!!

  • What does "RV" mean? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by ernstp ( 641161 )
    Really, I haven't been able to figure out what you americans mean with those two letters! I know how it looks but...
  • this thing looks like it's top heavy. Would not want to handle something like this on Lake Erie. First bad storm and it would roll! :)
  • Did no one else think immediately of The Wild Thonberrys [designsushi.com] and their commvee when they read this?

    Granted, the only reason I know about this (and how to spell it) is that (a) I have 16-month-old twins, and (b) we tend to have the closed-captioning on all the time, as a courtesy to our deaf friend who takes care of the babies frequently.
  • For one, why don't they show any propulsion system for water transport? One would think that how well it could get around in water would be an important issue for selling an amphibious vehicle. So why aren't there any shots showing the propellers and/or steering mechanism? In fact, why aren't there any shots of the rear (except when submerged and/or so far out of focus you can barely make out the slackjawed yokel looking on)?

    Secondly, the price range is ALL wrong, $850,000. Lets assume they have to build i

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