WHAT IS AWD (All Wheel Drive)?

A new option available on Sealegs amphibious boats ordered for boats starting production from May 2010 onwards is AWD –All Wheel Drive.  The AWD option adds an additional wheel motor to the front wheel of a Sealegs amphibious boat.  This assists in additional traction and significant increases to terrain capability when encountering beach inclines of soft sand, shell, shingle and/or pebbles.

Additional AWD hydraulic circuitry and solenoid controlled via a switch on the console allows changing between rear wheel drive and AWD.  The changeover of driving mode should be done when the boat is stationery and is available to enable rear wheel, full land speed.  When in AWD mode the top speed is reduced by 33%.
 With AWD activated the boat will run in a limited slip mode to allow for easier turning of corners.  In cases where maximum traction is required, a momentary push on the button at the end of the hydraulic joystick engages full diff lock mode.  This full diff lock is generally only required for a few seconds when trying to climb over a beach lip, or shelf.  Normal limited slip diff mode makes the boat very capable in most situations. 
AWD is listed as an Option, as most recreational customers probably won’t need it, based on the fact there are already over 400 Sealegs boats in use worldwide with standard rear wheel drive.

When faced with a Sealegs owner experiencing a more challenging terrain environment, the first thing you should suggest is always to firstly reduce their tyre pressure to minimum inflation (approx 4-6 PSI), as this will provide the biggest initial improvement in their traction capability. This is true for both rear wheel drive boats and AWD drive boats.
AWD is only required for marginal beaches (with soft sand shelf, shingle shelf, or pebbly shelf).  In those situations it is only needed when exiting the water and more than likely rear wheel drive mode will be all that is required for entering the water.

• Note that the AWD option IS NOT retro-fit able to existing Sealegs boats already in the field; it is only available for new builds.
Sealegs envisages AWD appealing as an Option mainly to Rescue, 1st Responders, and Military as well as some Commercial users.  Only recreational customers with marginal beaches would be able to enjoy any advantage from it, so it’s important to clearly understand the end users likely terrain environment to determine whether AWD is required for their Sealegs.

AWD does increase the types of beaches where Sealegs can now be used, so it increases the geographic market size.
AWD enables Sealegs craft to become incredibly capable in some extreme situations, so for Rescue, 1st Responders Military and some Commercial users we believe it will be well received and more than likely a preferred Option for these operators.

AWD can be ordered as an Option for a non-XRT boat; however that would only be for recreational customers with less than 10 minutes per hour land use.
For Rescue, 1st Responders, Military and Commercial users, the AWD option should be ordered together with the XRT option to adequately spec the craft for the demanding work environment and heavier duty cycles that the craft can expect from such end user operators.

CAN YOU TOW IT ON ITS WHEELS?

No - however you can get a drive on drive off trailer for towing it long distances. There is also a “free wheel valve” option which enables the boat to be pushed or towed at low speed for very short distances on its wheels.

DOES THE PRICE OF A SEALEGS INCLUDE THE PRICE OF THE OUTBOARD?

No, on the 6.1m models you can chose a 115hp Evinrude E- TEC or a Yamaha 115hp 4-Stroke. On the 7.1m you can chose between the Evinrude E-Tec 115hp and the 150hp, or the Yamaha 130hp Salt Water Series, or the Yamaha 150hp 4-Stroke. Only the Evinrude E-TEC outboards meet CE Proof standards needed for import into European countries. Evinrude is also the only manufacturer to offer a Non-declining 5 Year Warranty that is Internationally transferrable to every country.

WHY SHOULD I UPGRADE TO THE EVINRUDE AND WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT AND THE YAMAHA 130hp Saltwater Series?

The Yamaha is a carbureted 2 Stroke, the Evinrude E-TEC is a Direct inject 2 Stroke which meets the latest emission standards. The Evinrude E-TEC is quieter, needs less service and has better fuel and oil efficiency. Refer: http://www.brp.com

CAN I BUY A SEALEGS AMPHIBIOUS BOAT WITHOUT THE OUTBOARD MOTOR?

No, all Sealegs amphibious boats have to have one of the outboards specified on our price sheet installed at the factory, due to the fact that our boats are manufactured with an integrated wiring loom that is custom made for our craft. The outboard ignition switch also controls the inboard motor and we have a dual charging system. We also sea trial everyone of our boats before shipping, and this can only be done with the outboard engine mounted.

WHERE IS THE PETROL TANK, AND HOW MUCH DOES IT HOLD?

The fuel tank is under the floor and has a capacity of 80 litres, which is about 3-4 toke tanks. The 7.1m model only also has the option of an additional 100L Auxiliary fuel tank.

DO THEY COME ANY BIGGER OR SMALLER?

At the moment there is a Rigid Hull Inflatable and an Aluminum D-Tube which are both 6.1M (20ft) and based on the same hull design, as well as a bigger 7.1m (23ft) RIB model. They cannot be built smaller due to the size and weight of the hydraulic equipment required to make the amphibian perform in various conditions.

WHAT IS THE LOA OF EACH MODEL WHEN ON A TRAILER?

Add 1m to the length of each model. So the 6.1m = 7.1m when on a trailer, and the 7.1m model = 8.1m when on a trailer. What is the LOA of the D-Tube with Bow Sprit option added? The length is 6.4m (21ft)

WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?

Sealegs has authorized agents in the USA, United Kingdom, France, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Middle East, Italy, Hong Kong, Greece, India and Thailand. All other enquiries should be directed to the New Zealand Office.

CAN I RETRO FIT THE SYSTEM ONTO AN EXISTING BOAT?

No - With the two marinised hydraulic motors, three custom marine lift cylinders, custom front wheel steering cylinder, front and rear alloy legs/bushes/brackets, hydraulic tank, filters, hydraulic transmission pump and remote hydraulic joystick, hydraulic manifold block with valves, solenoids, flow divider, control electrics, tandem hydraulic gear pump, 24hp Honda engine, throttle/choke control, cable, bell housing, torque coupler, inboard engine bed and engine box, custom stainless steel hubs, alloy rims and ATV tyres plus all the hydraulic hoses and stainless steel fittings it makes it nearly impossible to retrofit. This also explains part of the extra cost of Sealegs amphibious boats. Refer: CONTACT US

WHAT WIND AND SEA STATE CAN A SEALEGS BOATS OPERATE IN?

Sealegs boats are all certified to comply with CE category C, which is 2m swells and Beaufort wind scale 6. 

WHAT CERTIFICATION CODES IS SEALEGS COMPLIANT WITH?

Sealegs has CE Proof, is United States Coast Guard and Canadian TP1332 compliant.

DOES SEALEGS PRODUCE ANY MODEL WITH A JET INSTEAD OF AN OUTBOARD?

No we don't and the company has no immediate plans to produce one. Currently the only external power option availalble is either an Evinrude E-TEC or Yamaha outboard engine.