A deep affinity for the ocean may be the source of New Zealand’s reputation for proclivity in the marine industry, but it’s ideas that truly put it on the map.

New Zealand’s record of maritime achievement built on innovation is impressive. Apart from the profound impact New Zealand innovation has had on the America’s Cup and superyacht production, the industry has produced some groundbreaking concepts and designs — from specialised furling systems and rigging to sails, anchors and propulsion systems.

Often, these innovations have been driven by a need to solve a common boating problem. For Sealegs founders David McKee Wright and Maurice Bryham, the focus
was on bringing safety and convenience to the process of landing and launching yacht tenders.

Both founders had houses at the beach and, while they had great views of the water, they lacked an easy way to launch a boat. In 2000, they set out to design an amphibious boat that would be easy to drive in and out of the water from the beach, and that would still perform well when the wheels were raised.

As so often happens with innovative ideas, the amphibious boat concept met with scepticism. But since 2003, when the first Sealegs boat drove into the water, McKee Wright and Bryham haven’t been able to keep up with demand.

The Sealegs system consists of motorised, retractable and steerable wheels fitted to specially designed boats, allowing land operation at up to 10km/h in forward and reverse. Exporting began almost immediately: the fifth boat was shipped to Seattle, the ninth to Dubai. In 2007, the company produced 60 boats, and in 2008  it expects to make 100; in 2009, thanks to a new manufacturing plant, production will be up to 200 units.

With a proven product and a hungry market, Sealegs doesn’t expect that growth to slow. Ultimately, though, McKee Wright doesn’t want to be a boat builder at all. The company’s vision is to license the technology for other boat builders to use. “Our ambition is for people to be able to go and buy a boat from anywhere and be asked, ‘would you like Sealegs with that?’”
 

 

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