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
+ Ross Kemp
