The HeliCat is the Frankenboat of Your Dreams

You would be forgiven if, upon first spying the HeliCat, you thought it was a helicopter that can land on water, but it's actually 100% boat — technically it's a catamaran, hence the "cat" in the name. Designed by a Seattle man who hopes to invent the sport of "extreme wake-boarding" — more on that in a second — it's actually got a few advantages over normal boats, beyond looking like it's straight out of a Roger Moore-era Bond film.

Because of its dual hull construction, combined with the added height of the helicopter-like cabin, it can cut through waves more efficiently than most other boats. The main reason the designer thinks it's perfect for wakeboarding is because it doesn't skip a beat cruising along at 30 mph over white caps, thanks in part to the twin 90 hp outboard motors it sports.

It turns on a dime, and just about every square inch of it looks like it's a blast to drive/captain. Everything has been custom-built for the HeliCat by several different companies that specialize in fiberglass molding and hull construction, and it's virtually unsinkable.


Aaron Miller is the Rides editor for Supercompressor. He's never owned a boat, unless you count a 1978 Buick, but he'd totally hit the lake in this thing.