A floatable passenger car for land and water cruising has a bow portion with an inclined floor, a central portion which with the bow portion forms a gliding boat body and floor and includes a bulkhead at its rear end, and a rear portion, seats being located in the central and rear portions to permit passengers to be selectively seated in the rear portion for maximum water cruising speed. The front and rear wheels are retractable into individual compartments located in the central and rear body portions, respectively, and the compartments for retaining the front wheels include sliding doors covering the openings to the compartments when the front wheels are retracted to reduce resistance during high speed cruising on the water. A propeller shaft with a propeller on the end thereof extends rearwardly from the bulkhead and is pivotable between elevated and lowered positions. The engine is located between the front wheels and is coupled through transmissions to the front wheels and the propeller shaft. Reversible electric motors which may be controlled by switches operated by the driver are arranged to raise and lower the wheels and the propeller shaft.

A boat including a main hull, a first pontoon hingedly connected to the main hull, and a second pontoon hingedly connected to the main hull on an opposite side of the main hull from the first pontoon. The first and second pontoons have wheels extending outwardly beyond a surface of the first and second pontoons. The first pontoon is selectively movable between a first position extending outwardly of the main hull and a second position extending below the main hull. The first wheel extends below the first pontoon when in the second position. The second pontoon is also selectively movable between a first position extending outwardly from the main hull and a second position extending below the main hull. The second wheel extends below the second pontoon when in the second position. A first strut section extends between the main hull and the first pontoon. A second strut section extends between the main hull and the second pontoon. The strut sections include deck surfaces extending across the boat. A bowsprit is hingedly connected to a forward area of the main hull and is movable between a position above the main hull to a towing position below the main hull.

A power train for an amphibious vehicle includes an engine and transaxle arranged North-South, driving front, rear, or all four road wheels. A power take off with optional decoupler and constant velocity joint drives marine drive. The power take off may be taken from the input shaft of the transmission, and may use a synchronizer. The transaxle includes a differential. The rear wheels may be set back from the differential outputs, with intermediate drives by chains or belts. A sandwich type power take off may also be used. In the four wheel drive embodiment, a power take off is required from the rear differential. Decouplers may be provided in at least one wheel drive shaft on each driven axle.

A house trailer and boat assembly with improved integration of the specific elements of the trailer and boat configurations such that in each of the house trailer and house boat configurations as few as possible of the elements of the other configurations are noticeable. This house trailer and boat assembly comprises a house trailer box defining elongated lateral apertures, elongated lateral floats pivotally stowable in the house trailer box, elongated panels covering the internally stowed floats for the travel configuration, and end floats at the opposite ends of the house trailer box, and pivotable each between its boat position and its travel position where they cooperatively define with the house trailer box a generally typical house trailer shape.

A remotely controlled rescue craft for use in fast moving water to rescue victims. A line is strung and secured across the moving water and the craft is tethered to the line. The craft has a water passage port that runs through the length of the craft. Within the passage port are a remotely controlled rudder for steering the craft, and at least one remotely controlled stabilization plate for controlling the pitch of the craft. Pressure relief channels run from the passage port to each side of the craft to keep the craft from rocking from side to side. A sealing ball is in each pressure relief channel and is pressed against a seal in an opening in the channel when the channel fills with water. A remotely deployed life preserver can also be onboard the craft. A control box controls all the onboard systems.