07 Mar 08
DUKW
DUKW
Developed by yacht-maker Sparkman & Stephens, the DUKW was initially rejected by the US forces until - so the story goes - a prototype ended up rescuing some coastguards who had run aground near Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Built by GMC and based on GMC's own 6x6 military truck, the 7.5-tonne, 9.3m-long DUKW was good for 6.4mph on water and 55mph on land. Over 21,000 were built, and the DUKW was the most widely-used amphibious vehicle in World War Two with many deployed in the Pacific and Mediterranean, as well as in the D-Day landings at Normandy.
The DUKW went on to be used again in Vietnam and the British Royal Marines are said to still use a few for training. However, the 'Ducks' are now best-known for their civilian use: apart from those used by coastguards, fire crews and other emergency-response services (one played a valuable role in the evacuation of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina), there are numerous examples used for tourist tours around the world, including the yellow Duck in London which cruises the city and nips in and out of the Thames.
Dutton Commander
Dutton Commander
Tim Dutton made his name building a popular series of kit cars before taking to the water, testing his first amphibious prototypes in the River Adur, West Sussex, and then set up shop at Littlehampton Marina on the River Arun estuary. Early Mariner models had Ford Fiesta mechanicals, but the subsequent Commander - with first Suzuki SJ and then Jimny running gear - has been most-acclaimed.
With a one-piece plastic-composite monococque body and marine-grade steel protection over the load-bearing areas, the Commander is resistant to rust, even if used in salt water, and has been specifically developed for easy repair and maintenance anywhere in the world. It may do just 6mph on water and have modest on-road abilities - the standard Jimny's not the quickest or most adept-handling of vehicles - but the 4WD helps it scramble up and down river banks, steep ramps and up beaches, enabling it to go places where other cars (and indeed, boats) cannot venture.
Marketed these days under the Amphijeep band-name, the Commander can be bought in kit form, or fully-built and SVA-tested for around £30,000.
