Ever been to the beach wishing you could go surfing or jet skiing but don't have the money or skill to do either? Well ASAP is a new vehicle that's part ski and paddleboard, and costs just a third of the price of your typical aquatic vehicle (used jet skis typically start at around $1200). While it looks like great fun, the solar-powered vehicle was originally designed by Brit Ross Camp as a versatile means for saving lives at sea.
ASAP of course stands for “As Soon As Possible,” an apt name considering British designer Ross Kemp originally created it to be a rescue craft. According to an interview with CNN, the idea came to Kemp during a lifeguard training course, during which he discovered how hard it is to rescue people in water. And so he began developing an electric motor powered paddleboard as a one-person launch craft that would allow lifeguards to easily retrieve people out in the water.
After months of work, plus a partnership with Virgin CEO Richard Branson, the ASAP you currently see is the second prototype. Basically the ASAP is a lightweight paddleboard-shaped skier equipped with a electric motor that pushes forward at around 15 miles per hour. As it was designed to help save people, it has slopped central platform you can slide someone onto quickly. It also has a V-shaped catamaran hull that cuts through waves to create a much smother ride over choppy waters.
The ASAP has already won an award for Best Startup Business in the UK Lloyds TSB Enterprise Awards earlier this year. Kemp also told CNN that he hopes to hopes to sell his solar-powered watercraft to the leisure market for everyday water adventures.
via CNN
