Sealegs 7.1M RIB

From the “Why didn’t I think of that?” files comes the Sealegs 7.1M rigid inflatable boat (RIB), which also just happens to be amphibious. Propelled through the water at nearly 50 mph, the 7.1M also has three hydraulically driven legs that raise and lower like an aircraft’s landing gear, powering the craft over land at up to 6 mph.

You’ll never need to fuss with finding a launch ramp or worry about sand bars or shoals again.

 All Sealegs craft are designed and built in New Zealand and the 7.1M features an aluminum rigid hull with Hypalon tubes. Sealegs prefers to fit Evinrude’s 150-horsepower, two-stroke E-TEC outboards, but the company will build it with any outboard you prefer. Top speed with the Evinrude 150 E-TEC, according to Sealegs, is 48 mph. With a 47.5-gallon fuel tank, you’ll have plenty of range for exploring — both on land and sea.

 There’s lots of seating room inside the tubes, with a forward-facing bench seat ahead of the center console, a two-person bench at the helm, and an additional bench all the way aft. The Sealegs 7.1M is rated for up to eight people, or a total of 1,540 pounds of payload — whichever comes first.

 An independent 24-horsepower Honda engine mounted under the driver’s bench seat powers the Sealegs 7.1M’s hydraulic system, which raises and lowers the wheels, and supplies power to the all-wheel drive system. While the 7.1M can climb a grade of up to 25 degrees, don’t expect to do any mountain climbing with this rig; it’s not designed for that. Think short beach forays and traversing sand bars. A driving stick at the helm controls the speed and direction (forward or reverse).The air-cooled engine that powers the hydraulic drive system can run for about 30 minutes before it needs a cool-down.

Jack Hodge, vice president of sales for Irish Boat Shop, Inc. (Irishboatshop.com; 888-578-BOAT) says, “Our favorite thing about the boat is just how incredibly versatile it is in its capabilities. Beyond the obvious, and incredible, ability to haul yourself in and out of the water anywhere under your own power, you don’t sacrifice anything on the water to get this capability. The 7.1M is a phenomenal performer on the water, topping out at 48 mph in great comfort, thanks to the incredibly stout aluminum hull. You can take this boat anywhere in the world.”