Building some of the fastest amphibians on the water, and they are pretty quick on the land too!
Please Watch videos attached below.
Government emergency response agencies are in desperate need for something like this.
Government emergency response agencies are inadequately equipped for handling floods and water rescues. Government agencies need fast amphibious vehicles that can be used by Park Rangers, Wildlife & Fishery agents, Coast Guard, and/or the National Guard on a daily basis. If the amphibious vehicles cannot be used on a regular basis then they probably will not be ready for anything when they are needed.
Having various fast amphibious rescue vehicles for Government Agencies in the 2016 Floods would have made a huge difference. The biggest impact would be its use in the evacuation process, its use maintaining law & order in the flooded areas, its use in creating communication hubs and its use in the sustained medical responses needed.
Providing medical services in a flooded area is major problem. The residents are forced into working in a dangerous flood environment and the rate of major injuries like large cuts requiring stitches, sprained ankles, and broken bones increases dramatically. Parents and kids get hurt trying to save family possessions or family pets and they typically have to wait an excessive amount of time to get evacuated for medical help. In addition, the anxiety and stress caused by the flood increases Heart Attacks and Strokes. Victims often get sick drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food. That is the reality of the increased medical problems that go along with a flood. In addition, the families and friends are typically separated in the evacuation process due to lack of resources. Our government agents typically have to pick who gets left behind.
Think if you are a first responder and had to choose who gets left behind. Think of the difference it would make if they had a fast amphibious vehicle bigger than the prototype in the video that could carry a police officer, an Emergency Medical Tech and at least 10 people from the where they found an injured party all the way to the hospital.
Typically, the majority of boats used in flood services are very small flat bottom boats because larger boats are too difficult to launch and require deeper water to run. High water vehicles also have limitations because the roads are covered, and drivers have a very hard time keeping the vehicles on the roads and out of the ditches. There are many surplus military amphibious vehicles like the old WW II “DUWKs, the newer military amphibious LARCs and even some commercially available designs that are excellent platforms to aid in flood and water rescue services. The problem is that those amphibious vehicles are extremely slow in the water and really only good for the short-term flood services. They cannot be used for any weekly or daily government services. They are so slow in the water that people in other boats cannot even tell if the Officers want to pull them over. So many of these locally government owned amphibious vehicles sit in hidden parking lots for months or years without being used and when they are needed, they are not ready and only a few people know how to use them. Somebody has to go buy a new battery and/or clean out the old gas in the tank and then find somebody that knows how to run it.
The local government agencies need fast amphibious vehicles that can be used on a daily or weekly basis. Consider if a Park Ranger had an amphibious vehicle similar to an improved version of the car in the video he could use it on a daily basis. He could patrol the camp grounds and then drive it into the water and patrol the waterways. The vehicle would be used regularly and would be ready to be used at a moment’s notice with operators that are familiar with its capability. It would be ready for flood and water rescue services. It also would be far more capable than most of the slow rescue crafts currently available. It could transition in and out of the water as needed and could run fast in the water or fast on land when needed. It would provide a high visibility platform for the Government agents that residents and civilian rescue workers could recognize. It would enhance communications between the civilians and the government flood worker.
Maintaining law and order and the safety for the law-abiding people in a flood zone is a concern. The fast amphibious vehicles could be painted and trimmed with lights in order to show that government agencies are present and available to help. The police and other government agencies need better mobility and better visibility in a flood to combat crime and keep people safe. Another major benefit of using fast amphibious vehicles like the one I built is that the police or the rescue team would not have to deal with a truck and a boat trailer. Their truck and trailer would not have to be left in a hazardous location where it could be damaged by weather issues like increased flooding or looting/crime issues. In addition, it would limit the traffic congestion at the transition places where roads start going under water.
The fast amphibious car in the video is only a prototype it demonstrates that the technology is available and practical. Larger more capable fast amphibious vehicles can be done.
I have been working on plans for a bigger faster 4 wheel drive amphibious vehicle with 4 wheel steering, bigger tires, 16 inches of ground clearance and multiple choices of marine propulsion systems. This hull/chassis version would be for a Fast Amphibious Medical Evacuation Water Rescue Ambulance. The bigger vehicle would be about 8’ wide by 25’ to 27’ long and would be large enough for EMT’s to stand up and walk around in. It would be smaller, lighter, faster and more maneuverable than the old amphibious DUWKs or LARCs. It could be outfitted to haul 12 people or lots of medical equipment and multiple stretchers. In addition, this amphibious Ambulance vehicle could be used on land as a regular ambulance. The future is now and it can be done cost effectively.
The cost of one used rescue helicopter (is about 7 million dollars) I estimate I can probably build over thirty new Fast Amphibious Medical Rescue Ambulances or vehicles with all new parts for that price. Think of the impact that just a few fast amphibious emergency medical vehicles/stations could have made in Baton Rouge area during the 2016 Louisiana flood or in Florida after Hurricane Matthew.
People have been trying to build a decent amphibious car or truck since 1930 but it seems a limited amount of money and technology has been devoted to the task. We have built aircraft for the civilian market that can exceed the speed of sound. It is time that affordable fast amphibious vehicles get developed that can be used on a regular basis.
The fast amphibious car in the video was fabricated in my home garage with less than $8000 of material purchased. Think of what I could develop with a small grant for funding the next bigger better faster Amphibious Medical Evacuation Rescue Vehicle. The amphibious car in the video was built using old 1990 Chevy 4×4 components and built in a home garage not a fancy shop. My design used 30 year old parts and 30 year old technology. The technology is available; the fact that fast amphibious vehicles are not readily available for local government agencies is unacceptable. The situation is almost as bad as if we were still using horse drawn firetrucks.
This is a problem that can be fixed. Our public servants: Police, Coast Guard, FEMA, Wildlife & Fisheries, and National Guard are ill equipped for handling flood situations; fast amphibious Vehicles can make a major difference.
Please Review the Video Link. Listed as “Fast Amphibious Car Bert Sandlin” Belle Chasse area
Go to ==> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQO6Fe8gwWw
The car has done over 45 mph in the water. I designed and built this fast amphibious car in my garage using less than $8000 of readily available material!
Please help direct me towards the people and agencies so that we can correct the problem. Sincerely Bert Sandlin CEO of Amphibian-Motors
If you are interested or want additional information
please contact me at Bert@Amphibian-Motors.com
Amphibian-Motors 