November 15, 2006 Amphibious vehicle manufacturers Sealegs has unveiled a new amphibious rescue boat aimed at search and rescue roles with government agencies, fire departments and civil defence forces. The 6 metre Amphibious Rescue Craft (ARC) is constructed of marine grade aluminium for demanding field deployment applications. The Sealegs ARC has a base price of NZ$89,000 (US$58,850) and made its debut at the Big Boys Toys show in the company’s native New Zealand last week. With international demand for the company’s unique product now accounting for 80% of production, a new production facility is being readied to increase supply by a factor of four.
Sealegs CEO, Mr David McKee Wright, says “we are increasingly receiving enquiries for this type of amphibious rescue craft from around the world and the new Sealegs ARC showcases the application of our technology in a rescue format. The company is exploring strategies to present this craft to North American Homeland Security as well as specialised agencies in security and rescue industries”.
“Enquiries and interest from international rescue services suggests that Sealegs technology offers advantages over traditional Hovercraft in some field applications”.
