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Sealegs Completes Circumnavigation of North Island
Sealegs CEO David McKee Wright
(left) and Technical Manager Darren Leybourne exiting the
water at Takapuna Beach on completion of their
circumnavigation of the North Island.
Auckland, 24 February 2009 - A Sealegs 7.1m amphibious inflatable boat today completed a successful 3,015km circumnavigation of the North Island.
The two-man team, headed by Sealegs Corporation CEO David McKee Wright, set off from Takapuna towards Cape Reinga last Monday (February 16) and completed the journey – equivalent in distance from Rarotonga to Auckland—at 1.25pm today in approximately 65 hours of driving time, at an average speed of 46km/h. The Sealegs RIB was powered by an Evinrude E-Tec 150hp outboard.
The ambitious venture took the craft from Auckland up to Cape Reinga, down the west coast of the North Island past New Plymouth then Wanganui. The team then ventured across the Cook Strait to Nelson before returning to Auckland via Wellington, Napier, Whakatane and Whitianga.
Sealegs CEO David McKee Wright says “the journey has proven the reliability, durability and mature design of the Sealegs amphibious marine craft.
“The investment the company has made into design and manufacture was evident in the craft’s performance in the testing conditions found through parts of the journey, including swells up to five metres and winds in excess of 40 knots.”
The purpose of the trip was to evaluate the performance of the new 2009 US Coast Guard compliant Sealegs craft in some of the harshest conditions found in the world. During the circumnavigation, the amphibious craft was demonstrated to many people who had not yet been exposed to the revolutionary practice of hassle free launch and retrieval of their boats, which are just two of the many benefits that Sealegs provide with their innovative product.
The new 2009 range of Sealegs Amphibious Marine will be available from 01 March 2009. See www.sealegs.com
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