Low-cost N.Z. hovercraft tested

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 1

Low-cost N.Z. hovercraft tested

This 10-passenger hovercraft, which its New Zealand makers hope will be the first of a long line built for the local market and for export, was successfully tested on Lake Ellesmere yesterday. Mr Selwyn Paynter, one of the four men who have set up Hovercraft Manufacturing, Ltd, in Christchurch to build the hovercraft, said afterwards that the machine performed "terrifically well.” The hovercraft will be taken to Lake Rotorua later this week for more tests before being put into service carrying tourists for a company established by three of the manufacturing partners. Mr Paynter said that they already had an order to build one for a Queenstown tourist firm and hoped to make three big hovercraft a year. Smaller twoseaters were under consideration. As far as Mr Payntfer is aware, he and his partners are the first to begin regular manufacture of large hovercraft in New Zealand. . -

“In the right areas we think there is a big future for them. We are looking overseas for quite a few of our sales. We think there is quite a big market in places

such as north-west Australia, Asia, and some parts of the Pacific. At the moment there are no established roles governing the manufacture or running of hovercraft. However, the Marine Division had watched the building of the craft from the beginning and bad been very impressed with it, said Mr Paynter.

Each craft would come with 25 hours of free tuition in how to run it. This was based on the usual procedure followed by British companies. Mr Paynter believes the low price of his hovercraft will help sales in New Zealand and abroad.

“It is incredibly cheap compared with overseas ones. Auckland Airport bought a 12-seat English model, slightly larger than ours, for $260,000. Ours will cost $125,000. “The imported ones have all sorts of duties and taxes on them, of course. But we have also got a very good, simple design. Our designer, Ross McLeod, has been designing them since he was 15.” .

The 7.6 m craft is powered by a Chevrolet V 8 engine, which gives it a top speed of more than 80 km/h, and a cruising speed of 60 km/h.