Marine

AlumaSki is designed to go where Jet Skis fear to tread

AlumaSki is designed to go where Jet Skis fear to tread
The AlumaSki is intended for recreational use, along with rescue and defense applications
The AlumaSki is intended for recreational use, along with rescue and defense applications
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The AlumaSki is intended for recreational use, along with rescue and defense applications
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The AlumaSki is intended for recreational use, along with rescue and defense applications
It has a very stable almost-flat bottom, drawing 6 inches (15 cm) of water when idling and 2 to 3 when moving – depending on the speed and payload
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It has a very stable almost-flat bottom, drawing 6 inches (15 cm) of water when idling and 2 to 3 when moving – depending on the speed and payload
It can take three passengers, and carry up to 1,000 lb (454 kg)
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It can take three passengers, and carry up to 1,000 lb (454 kg)
The hull is made from one piece of marine-grade quarter-inch aluminum
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The hull is made from one piece of marine-grade quarter-inch aluminum
As with other personal watercraft, it can be transported by trailer
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As with other personal watercraft, it can be transported by trailer
View gallery - 5 images

Jet Skis are certainly able to squeeze into narrow waterways, although you probably wouldn't feel comfortable scraping one's hull against a rocky riverbed. Steel-hulled jet boats are considerably tougher than Jet Skis, but they're not nearly as nimble. Alaska-based Mackinnon Marine Technologies' AlumaSki, however, attempts to combine the best of both worlds. It has the form factor of a personal watercraft, along with a one-piece quarter-inch-thick aluminum hull.

While the AlumaSki could be used in any number of places, it's intended particularly for exploring shallow, rocky rivers that are too narrow for a boat and too fiberglass-unfriendly for a Jet Ski. It has a very stable almost-flat bottom, drawing 6 inches (15 cm) of water when idling and 2 to 3 when moving – depending on the speed and payload.

Power is provided by a water-cooled, electronic fuel-injected Yamaha 1,052cc 4-cylinder, 4-stroke marine engine, that provides 110 hp. The craft is reportedly able to travel at up to 60 mph (97 km/h).

It has a very stable almost-flat bottom, drawing 6 inches (15 cm) of water when idling and 2 to 3 when moving – depending on the speed and payload
It has a very stable almost-flat bottom, drawing 6 inches (15 cm) of water when idling and 2 to 3 when moving – depending on the speed and payload

In order to keep the weight down, the non-hull parts of its body are constructed of thinner marine-grade 3/16-inch aluminum. It has a dry weight of 950 lb (430 kg), can carry up to 1,000 lb (454 kg), and is 12 feet long by five feet wide (3.7 by 1.5 m).

The AlumaSki is currently available for preorder, and should sell for US$24,995. It can be seen in action – albeit very briefly – in the following video.

Source: AlumaSki

AlumaSki Short Clip

View gallery - 5 images
4 comments
4 comments
Rehab
Never could understand why all these shallow water jet boats build with aluminium over kevlar / carbon. With the added beam this ski will certainly be more stable but can you right it easily when you roll it over? Really nice job, looks very well made.
Slowburn
@ Rehab The aluminum is more resistant to abrasion.
BigGoofyGuy
While I think that is cool, it seems to be rather expensive, IMO. Perhaps there is a way to make something similar that is lower cost?
Siegfried Gust
Yeah, that price is ridiculous.