I'm a Board member and Webmaster of the International Amphicar Owners Club. I got into Amphicars about 6 years ago after something sparked my interest (I still don't recall exactly what). I drove to Alabama to buy a rusty hulk. Now several Amphicars later, I still love them!

One question I get a lot from people is "Do you take it into the water?" This should answer that!

Me and my Amphi....


Splish splash takin a bath.. 30 MPH entry


Winter time in the Rockies... (That is ice all around me, notice the rearview irror)


Part of a world record 8 at a time high speed entry last Sept at Lake of the Ozarks(I'm 2nd from the right)


It took me almost 7 years to aquire 3 of the 4 colors in sea-worthy condition. The red one is a survivor, Ivory one is my 1st resto and the green one no resides in London. Here's how you fit 3 cars and 3 boats in a 2 car garage!

What would happen to the stability of an Amphicar if it were to have only a driver that is my size (6'5" and 280 lbs)? Would I have to sit in the middle?

I told my wife that someone told me I look normal size in my Mark II. She replied, "No, you don't."

Barry - There are a couple of bigger guys with Amphis. One guy and his wife are both large folks. No problem! It would lean only slightly if you were the only passenger. They are incredibly stable in the water. We tried once to rock the car... ummm boat back and forth to see how far it would go. It took all we could do to get it to rock up to the door handles. I have had her in 5 foot rolling waves with 4 people on board. Lots of fun! You'd love one!

John

Quote; "One guy and his wife are both large folks."

Hey quit talking about my wife and me!

I do find that they lean somewhat when going out solo, I am 218 pounds.

At Celina this year we were out at night in the roughest waters I have ever encountered. Dave the Wave thought we were broke down and gave up on coming to our rescue however we made it in as quickly as possible. The waves were breaking over the windshield and no matter where you pointed Amphi it wasn't good.

To say that deciding to take the car out in this kind of weather wasn't one of my better ideas , would be a understatement. Read stupid.

Still waiting for the Amphicar Buyer to buy my Amphi...

Hey Ron, I can attest to the car's stability. John was very generous and gave me a ride in his into the local lake (when it had water) and I weigh in the rhelm of 300 lbs. (Please no fat jokes ... I get a laugh every morning when I look in the mirror.) So I know that little car is impressive. Had I the resources and money, I would love one. Or a Bugatti. Probably both ... I'm not greedy. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

And I'm waiting for it to be cheap!
Send me the particulars and I wil post it on the amphicar dot com site for you.



Ron - You have to go out if rough waters with the top UP! Then it is lots more fun. I had Tommy (Tampa) and his wife Lynne in the back seat in the 5' rollers when we were at Cody Resevoir, Wy. While Daryl-ict and I were having mega-fun, Tommy and Lynne had never been in rough waters and were not as thrilled as we were. Next year at Celina, come out with me, top up and we'll have some fun for sure!

Here is one at my local lake taken from the road. The guy thought I was sinking because the waves were so big. Compare the white caps to the car. It was rough big big fun!



John

Quote; "Next year at Celina, come out with me, top up and we'll have some fun for sure!"

How quickly we forget. Two years ago you, me and Daryl cut across that lake in your Amphi from the bar to the eagles in the driving rain and lightning. I had just met you and I thought if this crazy son of a b#### in a wheelchair isn't afraid then there is no reason for me to worry. Can't wait to do it again!

Randall, they are amazing little machines as you found out. They put up with a lot of abuse and usually keep going.

Bars? They have bars there? I hadn't noticed! We'll go find some good waves to go bombing through. For those who have never ridden in and Amphi here's a short video...
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http://www.amphicar.com/images/videos/Waves_Carter_Jan19-03.MPG

And one of my favorites. (That is my sister screaming in the back seat!)
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http://www.amphicar.com/images/videos/Goin_in.MPG

Those are great John!!! I showed the "Goin in" one to a coworker without explaining what kind of car it was and upon your hitting the water and the windshield wipers coming on, his words were "OH S*** were they drunk or somethin?!! I then explained that it was an Amphicar but told him the answer to his question was probably still yes.
Thanks for sharing!!
edit) just so you know, John, I was only kidding!!

Glad to see you've got your sealegs Captain John.

The little Amphicar is so cute out on the big bad stormy lake!

Here's how the Big Boys "Go In"

I think it would have more impact if I could speak Russian.

So how do the big boy go in?

John

Sorry Captain, my computer skills leave much to be desired...
Check this link to see a Russian "Big Boy" "Goin' In." [color:\\"red\\"] Admiral Ushakov Underway [/color]

Great pictures. Been there, done that.

OX, man that brought back memories. Back in 1970, somewhere between Hong Kong and the Phillipines we were taking a little boat ride in a LST and got caught in a typhoon. Ended up spending 6 weeks in Subic Bay with about a hundred welders welding night and day trying to patch the old girl back up. I got a medal for saving a small trailer on upper deck from going overboard after a 5 ton truck had smacked it on it's way overboard. I only did it after a Lieutenant ordered me to. Oh and I also got a bottle from the 4 cases of liquor he had stashed in the trailor.

Here's one that is nothing but incredible.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/~soldier/towboat.htm

Amazing. It reminded me of the slogan, "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down."

Amazing pics... Amazing cars too.

This concept is just what Detroit needs for the future, a small fuel efficient car that can deal with impending global warming. We'll call it the GlobaWam.

A great promo for the car would be to give all in the US Congress a GlobaWam. I see it now as they tie up to the nearest lamp post at the Capitol Building, they could float over to the White House in them for lunch as the Chesapeake Bay slowly begins to swallow up DC.

Man, Ox, just looking at those pictures makes we want to run to the chuck bucket, and I have some pretty good sea legs....That would not have been a fun cruise.....

It would have been fun until it was time to hit the rack.

I bet the chum line from that ship extended forever...LOL....

I just today found out something very interesting about the tow/tug boat that Ron posted the photos of.

It was purchased by Charlie Jones that owns Amherst Coal in Charleston, W. Va. and is still being used by his company. It is now named "Capt. Ed Harris". Charlie lives two farms over from my friend Diana that keeps my horse Josh on her farm. I have known Charlie for about twenty-five years.

The tugboat adventure supposedly occured on the Tennessee River system - somewhere in Alabama. If you look closely at one of the photos before it rolls under the bridge, you can see "Bear Bryant" (with his famous hat). Apparently, the coach chose to watch the rest of the adventure from the bank. He only appears in one shot.