The troubles of operating and maintaining boats are apparent to most boat owners and enthusiasts alike. One must consider the weather, the tide, and the conditions of the boat, among others. This is done in order to ensure that voyages by sea go smoothly. But what if you wanted to travel on land?
Surely, this would seem impossible for regular boats, but French engineer Antoine Brugidou has managed to design a system that enables boats to cross land and essentially become amphibious. He was inspired by an iguana, which tucks in its front legs close to its body while swimming.
This led Brugidou to design a boat with a retractable tread system - on the water, the treads are tucked into the bottom of the boat to allow it to go as fast as 52 knots. The treads would deploy in 8 seconds to allow the boat to transition onto land. The tread system allows the boat to traverse various terrains - from sandy beaches to rocky coastlines. This allows the boat to reach previously inaccessible areas, allowing for wider delivery service coverage and more extensive rescue operations as Brugidou's company, aptly named 'Iguana' points out.
This innovation not only piqued the interest of boat enthusiasts and operators but has also grabbed the attention of the US Army which has already secured two boats in 2020.
Image: Interesting Engineering | Ameya Paleja
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