Amphibious Vehicle Takes Ice Fishing to a New Level
A Minnesota inventor has taken his love for ice fishing and turned it into a one-of-a-kind amphibious vehicle.
The Wilcraft is designed to give ice fishing enthusiasts all the tools they need to get out on the ice and catch more fish.
Inventor Tom Roering got the idea in 1998 to create a way for ice fishing enthusiasts to easily get out on the frozen water.
As a dad and grandfather, Tom wanted a safe way to do ice fishing. Tom started building the vehicles in 2005 with the first one delivered in January 2006.
The company, based on North St. Paul, Minnesota, has steadily grown since that time, and now has several dealers across the U.S. and in Canada.
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How The Wilcraft Works
The W-I-L in Wilcraft stand for Water, Ice, and Land since the vehicle easily travels over all of these surfaces.
Three of the biggest goals behind the four-wheel-drive Wilcraft are convenience, safety and mobility.
The vehicles are able to not only drive on ice but also propel through water. In the event of breaking through the ice, the vehicle floats and can be driven out of the water back onto the ice.
The Wilcraft features are engineered for convenience. Once you’ve driven to the desired fishing spot, you pull out any or all of the four removable 10-inch hole plugs and drill through the ice with your auger.
You then lower the floor of the vehicle down with the easy hydraulic system, raise the tent-like cover, grab your favorite ice-fishing rod and start fishing!
It has independent front and rear lift systems for maximum access on uneven ice.
The insulated floor and insulated cover help keep you warm even on the coldest day of fishing.
The Wilcraft is also designed to be an ice fisherman’s dream for easy mobility!
Unlike traditional ice fishing which takes a lot of work to set up a shelter, The Wilcraft can easily move from place to place. Fish not biting? No problem. Fire up your vehicle and drive to another spot!
Because of the relatively light weight (about 1150 lbs with a 675 lbs capacity), The Wilcraft can be taken out on thinner ice than what you could drive on with a typical truck.
This means that you can get out on the ice both sooner and later in the season than others who are limited by the heavy weight of their vehicles.
The vehicle has a five-gallon fuel tank and can go up to 20 miles per hour.
How Much Does a Wilcraft Cost?
Depending on the specific features of the individual vehicle, a Wilcraft will run you anywhere from $26,000 to $32,000.
This is not a bad price at all considering the many unique features of this amphibious vehicle. It’s truly designed for maximum convenience, safety and mobility.
Customized options are also available. All in all, The Wilcraft is a good value for the money.
