With expedition yachts on the rise, why shouldn’t there be more expedition toys? And why shouldn’t they be as rugged as the megayacht upon which they’re carried? That’s the thinking of Iguana Yachts in developing the 31-foot (9.45-meter) Iguana Expedition 31. She’s an amphibious craft even more robust than her predecessors.
Iguana Yachts, based in France, came onto the yachting scene in 2012. That’s when it launched the Iguana 29 Exclusive and Iguana 29 Classic. Both were designed as dayboats or tenders. Their sleek lines and luxe touches belied tough-duty intentions, transitioning from land to sea seamlessly and performing in sloppy seas comfortably. Most notable, they featured a set of tracks, akin to those of tanks, that could be incorporated into the hulls without impacting hydrodynamic performance. Iguana Yachts holds a patent for the design in several countries, too.
With the Iguana Expedition 31, you’ll still find those tracks, to traverse over land and sand to sea. The difference comes in the performance technology and therefore the performance capabilities. Iguana Yachts says the boat can climb up or down a 30-degree incline plus a 25-degree lateral slope. Mud, gravel, rocks… “no problem,” according to the builder. The Iguana Expedition 31 further stays steady on slippery surfaces. The overall carbon fiber hull construction has been beefed up, too.
Of course, since megayacht buyers are part of the target market, Iguana Yachts kept an eye on ride comfort. Besides the hull being a wavepiercer for sloppy seas, the seats were chosen for shock absorption. Sunbrella fabric covers seating, too, for durability under the sun and salt spray. Speaking of spray, much of it should stay off you and your fellow passengers when underway. And, when pulling back up to your megayacht, the Iguana Expedition 31 has all-around bumpers, to protect both your investments.
Every Iguana Expedition 31 includes navigation and communication electronics like a GPS-chartplotter combo, AIS, radar, and VHF. A single screen allows your captain and crew to overlay nav data, too. You can request custom settings and even add niceties like a music server, pumping tunes through the standard four-speaker Bose system. An online configurator at Iguana Yachts’ website lets you select hull colors, decking and handrail tones, fabric colors, and more.
For a better sense of the amphitious abilities of the Iguana Expedition 31, check out this video:
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