By Scott Hargis & Michelle Moday
Published: February, 2007
When getting a first glimpse of the 100-foot long arachnid-shaped, giant thing skimming over the surface of the waters of the Bay, the first question that comes to mind might be: Is it Hollywood? But the WAM-V (Wave Adaptive Modular Vessel), dubbed Proteus by inventor Dr. Ugo Conti, is very real.
Indeed, many people assume it must be a prop for a new Science-Fiction movie. If Spiderman had a boat, this is what it would look like, remarked one observer.
The morning of Jan. 18, Conti docked Proteus (named after a shape-shifting sea god) at San Francisco’s Pier 41 to unveil the modular, high-tech aquatic craft to the press. Up until then, WAM-V had been a tight-lipped secret that Conti’s been able to keep out of the spotlight. That couldn’t have been easy, considering the size and potential of this new vessel, and the high-profile companies contributing to its extraordinary design.
Proteus may look fantastic, with its 4,000 pound payload slung nearly 20 feet above the water between 100-foot pontoons, but Conti and his team of designers foresee practical applications ranging from search and rescue, science missions and even military uses for their craft.
With a draft of only 16 inches and a range allowing it to cross oceans, Conti says, It’s just like a helicopter. It flies, just in a different way. Our goal, our dream, is to create a vessel that goes at sea just like a helicopter.
Conti, a slim, white-bearded, 69 year old, says that you have to be old to conceive and create something like this. Only older people can take this sort of risk, he says. Because I have nothing to prove, [I’ve] nothing to lose. He also credits his business partner and wife, Dr. Isabella Conti, with over half the success of the project. When she was asked if his idea for the WAM-V was borne out of a mid-life crisis, she smiled and replied, It was either this or a red sports car.
One thing is for sure: Ugo and his co-developer Mark Gundersen were thinking outside the box. Floating on the world’s largest articulated boat sponsons, the superstructure rests on titanium springs, which allow Proteus to ride rough seas without fear of capsizing or excessive roll. Twin Cummins diesel engines are hinged to keep the propellers in the water.
The craft can run on bio-diesel, and one of the main advantages of the design is its high fuel efficiency — allowing it to make trans-oceanic voyages on only 2,000 gallons of fuel, crewed by only two people.
While sea trials are still underway, the team is unwilling to discuss specifics of the craft’s performance. However, during the bay cruise put on for the press in January, the Proteus was clearly able to out-run and out-maneuver the Hornblower Yacht Sunset, which was cruising at about 10 knots. Beyond that, however, the Proteus team remains mum.
WAM-V technology is being developed by Marine Advanced Research, Inc., El Cerrito, CA. Support and sponsorship comes from Autodesk, HP, TwinDisc, Wing Inflatables, Timet, and Cummins Diesel.
More information at
www.wam-v.com