A lightweight amphibious vehicle system enables a user to traverse the land or water in the same craft. The wheels have paddles attached on the sides and are powered by a transmission that multiplies the force of a user to enable the system to travel without great effort. The transmission is driven by pedal power input by the user.

An amphibian (1) for use on land and water, comprising: a hull having a planing surface (2), and at least one retractable suspension apparatus (4) movable from a vehicle supporting position to a retracted position, comprising for each wheel (5), upper and lower suspension arms (8, 9) that are pivotably connected at inboard ends to a support structure within the hull; and are pivotably connected at outboard ends to a suspension upright (7). Upright (7) extends from a first, upper connection past a second, lower connection to a location (10) for a wheel hub mounting. The suspension upright when deployed in land use extends externally of the hull across a side face (2A) of the planing surface; while lower suspension arm (9) remains above the top of planing surface (2) throughout use of the amphibian on land. This suspension arrangement allows the hull to have no cutouts in its planing surface.

A vehicle includes, an engine including a crankshaft, a crankcase which is configured to accommodate the crankshaft therein, and a centrifugal clutch which is arranged coaxially with the crankshaft, and a propeller shaft to which rotational power output from the engine and changed in speed is transmitted, the propeller shaft passing through the crankcase and intersecting the crankshaft in plan view, at least a part of the propeller shaft being located between the centrifugal clutch and a support wall portion of the crankcase configured to support the crankshaft and above a lower end of the centrifugal clutch.

An amphibious pumping vehicle has a floatable vehicle body, a ground engaging propulsion structure, a fluid pump, a plurality of fluid nozzles comprising a first fluid nozzle connected by a fluid conduit to the fluid pump and at least one second fluid nozzle connected to the fluid conduit, a valve structure in the fluid conduit, the plurality of fluid nozzles and the valve structure co-operating to provide directional control and motive power for the vehicle when floating, and a power source configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump.

A vehicle includes: a power source; a first drive device configured to be driven by an output of the power source; a second drive device configured to be driven by the output of the power source; a non-stage transmission device capable of continuously changing a rotation speed which is transmitted to an input shaft of the second drive device; a power distribution device coupled to an output shaft of the power source, coupled to an input shaft of the first drive device and an input shaft of the non-stage transmission device, and configured to be capable of distributing the output of the power source to the first drive device and the second drive device in a state where the output shaft of the power source is coupled to the input shaft of the first drive device and the input shaft of the non-stage transmission device at respective predetermined fixed reduction ratios; a first instruction device configured to output a first instruction value related to a rotation speed of the input shaft of the first drive device; a second instruction device configured to output a second instruction value related to a torque of the input shaft of the second drive device; and a control device configured to be capable of controlling the output of the power source and a transmission ratio of the non-stage transmission device. The control device includes: an output control part configured to control an output of the power source in accordance with the first instruction value outputted from the first instruction device; and a transmission control part configured to control the transmission ratio of the non-stage transmission device in accordance with the second instruction value outputted from the second instruction device.

A pressure system of a suspension device for an amphibious vehicle includes: a pump configured to discharge a working fluid; a first control valve disposed in a first flow path extending between the pump and a first hydraulic chamber, the first control valve being configured to control supply of the working fluid from the pump to the first hydraulic chamber; a pilot check valve disposed in a portion of the first flow path which extends between the first hydraulic chamber and the first control valve, the pilot check valve being configured to open and close the first flow path in accordance with a pilot pressure; and a second control valve disposed in a pilot flow path extending between the pump and the pilot check valve, the second control valve being configured to control supply of the pilot pressure to the pilot check valve.

A retractable wheel and/or track drive assembly for an amphibian comprising an actuator, a retraction linkage assembly movable between a protracted position and a retracted position, a suspension assembly at least partially connected to the retraction linkage assembly and movable between a protracted position and a retracted position, and at least one wheel and/or track drive, wherein when the retraction linkage assembly and the suspension assembly are protracted then the retraction linkage and/or suspension assembly supports and/or holds at least one wheel and/or track drive in a ground engaging position for use on land.

A system is provided that includes a boat; a pair of wheels; for each wheel, an arm to which said each wheel is rotatably mounted, the arm being movable between towing and water configurations. In the towing configuration, the boat is supported for rolling movement on the wheels when dragged from the bow of the boat. In the water configuration the wheels are alongside the boat; and means for coupling the boat to a vehicle, such as a hitch are provided.

An amphibian operable in land and marine modes includes a hull, having a discontinuity, and a retractable wheel or track drive assembly at least partially located in the discontinuity. A wheel or track drive of the at least one retractable wheel or track drive assembly is retracted above a lowest point of the hull when operating in marine mode, and the wheel or track drive is protracted below the lowest point when operating in land mode. The hull is a planing V hull having a forward bow section defining a frontal bow surface/area across a beam of the hull. The discontinuity is provided in the forward bow section, and the wheel or track drive of the retractable wheel or track drive assembly is located ahead of and in front of at least a portion of the frontal bow area when protracted.

An amphibious pumping vehicle has a floatable vehicle body, a ground engaging propulsion structure, a fluid pump, a plurality of fluid nozzles comprising a first fluid nozzle connected by a fluid conduit to the fluid pump and at least one second fluid nozzle connected to the fluid conduit, a valve structure in the fluid conduit, the plurality of fluid nozzles and the valve structure co-operating to provide directional control and motive power for the vehicle when floating, and a power source configured to provide power to both the ground engaging propulsion structure and the fluid pump.