Gibbs Quadski: surf and turf

Amphibious vehicles are nothing new, but the recently released Gibbs Quadski takes the genre to the recreational market, and at a price that won’t require a national defence budget to purchase one.

Manufactured in the USA, the Quadski is essentially an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) that transforms into a PWC (Personal Water Craft) at the push of a button, and it takes its name from the founder of Gibbs Sports Amphibians Inc, New Zealand entrepreneur Alan Gibbs.

The company was founded in 1996 but the Quadski concept was developed from 2003, with the first prototype arriving in 2005 and the production model finally going on sale in the USA in November, 2012.

According to its maker, the Quadski is capable of speeds of around 45mph (72km/h) on land or water, which isn’t too bad for product that tips the scales at 535kg (dry). On land it’s propelled by a rear-wheel-drive layout, with Gibbs claiming the 1300cc, 16-valve, DOHC four-cylinder powerplant – sourced from BMW’s K 1300 road bike – is good for 175hp, with 140hp available on the water.

In the case of the latter a patented Gibbs water jet propulsion system takes over, while the transition from water to land or vice versa is said to take four seconds – a pushbutton on the dash sees the vehicle's wheels extend or retract as required.

One limiting factor for the Quadski is that – in early versions at least – it’s only capable of hauling one person, so any prospective pillions will be left watching from the sidelines. That’s surely an aspect Gibbs will have to address if it wishes to broaden its appeal for later models.

The Gibbs Quadski retails in America for approximately $US40,000. While Gibbs Sports Amphibians Inc is in the process of establishing a US dealer network, there are no plans at this stage to bring the vehicle to Australia. Visit www.gibbssports.com for more information.