BigLorryBlog

Avast there me hearties.....! Capn. Biglorryblog has a saucy sea tale for you..."I say Captain....what's that strange craft on the starboard bow?"..."For goodness sake number one have you been at the rum again?" Word reaches me that those wacky Italians have been at it again having completed an unusual sea-journey with an experimental amphibious vehicle based on the Iveco Daily 4x4. According to the official PR blurb: "The Iveco Terramare [any relation to "The Fighting Temeraire?] has successfully crossed the Corsica Channel, which runs between Tuscany and Corsica, during a voyage which took almost 14 hours for the 75 nautical miles (that's approximately 140 km to you landlubbers)."

The Daily amphibian (does that mean you take one a day with a glass of water?) benefits from a series of modifications carried out by Milan-born engineer Maurizio Zanisi, which includes the fitment of an internally welded steel hull, a waterjet propulsion system and the mounting of supplementary fuel tanks with a total capacity of 300 litres.  Apparently this gave it sufficient range to guarantee a successful sea crossing without the need to refuel. For you all you BLB readers that are fact freaks I can also tell you that the Iveco Terramare is capable of a top speed on the road of 100 km/h and a wind-blowing 10 km/h in the water.

Accompanying Zanisi behind the wheel of this unique vehicle was Roberto Cibrario, Iveco Senior Vice President Special Vehicles. Now there's a man with faith in his product. Look lively there shipmates!!!! And click through here for another "nautical motor"!