Mariah 425 hovercraft: Road Test
The Mariah 425 hovercraft will hit 100km/h and can handle ocean, rivers, land and snow. And get this: it’s pitched as a “fast commuter vehicle”!
WHAT IS IT? What he really wants for Father’s Day next Sunday. His very own hovercraft!
WE’VE ALREADY GOT HIM SOME SOCKS, THOUGH. Well, that’s too bad. The Mariah 425, which carries up to five people, will happily cruise at 60km/h, hits a top speed of 100km/h-plus – and easily transitions between a variety of terrains from oceans to rivers, land, sand and snow.
NICE. VERY JAMES BOND. Yes, although Mariah, a boatbuilder based in Melbourne, actually pitches it as a “fast commuter vehicle”. Imagine turning up to work in it!
VITAL STATISTICS: It’s 4.2m long, 2m wide and weighs 430kg. A Yamaha four-stroke engine powers the ducted fan at the back, which provides both lift and thrust. It has an electric start – and the carbon fibre hull is positively buoyant, so it’ll float even if the cockpit is completely flooded. Which is good to know.
VERDICT: It probably handles like a supercharged shopping trolley until you get used to it, so the practice sessions will be fun to watch. Go, Dad, go!
$70,000 (including training), mariah.com.au
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