Fort Lauderdale Duck Tours uses custom made state-of-the-art amphibious vehicles called a "Hydra Terra." Each and every vehicle is U.S. Coast Guard approved and certified "T" vessel as well as a certified passenger vehicle for use on the roadways.
The Hydra Terra is 39' long and 8' feet wide and has a seating capacity of 45 passengers. The vehicles are powered by Ford F550 Power Stroke 7.3 litre Diesel Engine. On land, they can travel up to 65 miles per hour and require drivers to hold a Class "B" CDL License with passenger endorsement issued by the Florida Department of Transportation. By sea, the Hydra-Terra travels at 6 knots and must be operated by a U.S. Coast Guard 50 ton Licensed Master Captain.
The vehicles are equipped with adult and children life preservers as well as fire extinguishers per requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard.
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History of the DUKW Amphibious Vehicle
During the early days of World War ll, the allies were faced with a tough tactical problem: how could they unload cargo and men from their ships in places where the dock facilities had been destroyed or simply did not exist? The answer was to unload cargo directly over the beach. But how?
The demands of war, along with technical know-how and old fashioned Yankee ingenuity combined to create the perfect solution: a vehicle that was half boat and half truck that could run on land and water. Code-named DUKW (see where we get the name?), the first "DUCK" was actually a GMC truck enclosed in a water-tight shell.
It wasn't long before DUKWs were playing a crucial role in the allied invasions in Sicily, the Pacific, and the biggest invasion of all, D-Day. In fact, more than 40% of all over-beach supplies in Normandy were transported by DUKWs during the first four months. So today, you're not only having the ride of your life, you're riding on a proud part of American history.
