severe limitations nobody mentions about our amphibious vehicles

[flippy]

So I take my 6x6 with myself and my woman and 6 new at101 tires down the bank through the cat tails and fragmites on to the 2 1/2 foot deep canal-once in the water yes the 6x6 floats fine and swims well-yet slowly-now time to get out-the slow momentom of the 6x6 is not enough to push down the fragmites and cattails-so I am stuck with tires spinning in the water and the 6x6 not moving because the catails are acting as a road block.The water is deep enough that the tires dont touch the bottom to grab mud.Anyway a guy fishing got his truck-I stepped out of the 6x6 had to walk in the knee deep muck get out and he pulled me out.Embarassing yes-If I had a large oar then I could have pushed the 6x6 through the cat tails-maybe.This is just my experience that I have not read about on here.Seems silly that I have to find a nice clean shore area with no 4 foot high thick vegetation in order to get out of the water.What did I do wrong and If I have to carry an oar then I better just stick with a rowboat-And the canal is barely deep enough for a small outboard and if you use a small gas outboard the soot and muck will get sucked up into the water pump and burn the outboard up!Any opinions?

[SlimChance]

Hi Flippy,
I thought I was the only guy who could get in a situation similar to yours. I use my MaxIV as a fishing boat alot and have gotten hungup in marshes very similar to what you described. One time I had to winch myself out because the vegetation had me hung. After that, I started carrying a telescoping aluminum pole and have used that a couple of times to push myself around to where the tires could bite.
No matter what, there is always the unexpected...................

[amphibious drew]

I like to travel in packs of 3 machines to ensure safe return for all. I realize this is not always possible. In those situations it is best to scout you entry and exit points before you take the machine in.

[flippy]

The pole sounds like a good idea-unfortunatly the only access I had was the place I went in at,or the dnr boat launch which takes me straight tp lake st clair.Live and learn I guess.The guy who helped me out always wanted a argo and he pretty much gave positive reinforcement about once i get the bugs out give it another try.I think I was more embarassed because I insisted on bringing my old lady along and she did not want to go so once we could not get out she pretty much said-this is what you have been working on all this time?-Anyway glad I am not the only one who ran into this problem.

[CBass]

It took a lot of positive reinforcement for me to get Mel to finially go into a pond deep enough for her Max IV to float. Needless to say once she got into it she like it. We have had our set backs but she is starting to enjoy it almost as much as I am.

[ARGOJIM]

Great point CBass, find some slick mud and set her (old lady) loose for half an hour and you're in but you may have to buy another.

[Dozerlarry]

So I take my 6x6 with myself and my woman and 6 new at101 tires down the bank through the cat tails and fragmites on to the 2 1/2 foot deep canal-once in the water yes the 6x6 floats fine and swims well-yet slowly-now time to get out-the slow momentom of the 6x6 is not enough to push down the fragmites and cattails-so I am stuck with tires spinning in the water and the 6x6 not moving because the catails are acting as a road block.The water is deep enough that the tires dont touch the bottom to grab mud.Anyway a guy fishing got his truck-I stepped out of the 6x6 had to walk in the knee deep muck get out and he pulled me out.Embarassing yes-If I had a large oar then I could have pushed the 6x6 through the cat tails-maybe.This is just my experience that I have not read about on here.Seems silly that I have to find a nice clean shore area with no 4 foot high thick vegetation in order to get out of the water.What did I do wrong and If I have to carry an oar then I better just stick with a rowboat-And the canal is barely deep enough for a small outboard and if you use a small gas outboard the soot and muck will get sucked up into the water pump and burn the outboard up!Any opinions?

I think this would be true for any amphib that doesn't have a prop or jet drive. I have a GamaGoat which is a fairly large vehicle and it has the same problem. Best be careful where you put it in at!

[phabib]

Am I the only one here who doesn't think that running over plants and tearing up the vegetation is not a good thing to do, regardless of whether or not you can? What about the other visitors to the area who'd rather enjoy the place in a healthy state instead of the dead and damaged plants you'd be leaving behind?

[chris davison]

Trust to nature they will grow back to hang you up the next time. Besides I tried that excuse with my wife she said " you still have to mow the lawn"

[eddieb1965]

Knowing ones machine capabilitys beforehand is a must.Just dont assume it will go thru anything,try different levels of water and mud and gradually get deeper.You will eventually know what can be done and what cant.Second,you made the mistake of having a passenger,you may have had better luck being by yourself(having the ability to rock the machine).I wish I had a dollar for everyone who has asked me THAT WILL GO ANYWHERE WONT IT? A man has to know his machines limitations,and you have found one,The old not enough water to float good and just enough water to float you with no traction on the bottom senario. Better luck next time.....

[flippy]

Thanks for the replys-

[North Country Tough]

There are far more ways to "hang" these vehicles up than the situation you where in Flippy,having had AATV,s for near fifty years I still from time to time get myself in a jam.The machines are hugely capable but like anything on the planet have there limitations,experience of the driver and the common sense that comes with that will keep these incidences to a minimum,but we still tend to push beyond the machines ability,thanks for bringing up that particular instance,it helps people that are not familiar with the machines avoid certain pitfalls,most time we dont talk much about what they wont do or how we got them stuck and back out its not that its never happened its just a part of offroad life,check out my gallery and see what not to do on ice,LOL,good luck Flippy this wont be the last time your stuck.Cheers NCT

[hydromike]

This sorta reminds me of the Big Lake at Busco Beach. The sand and gravel quarries that form the lakes often have very steep entrances and sometimes a couple feet of drop-off right when you enter the water. There's always a way out of the lake, but sometimes you have to take a <sing it everybody...> three-hour-tour to get to a suitable ramp to get back out. There are typically the requisite quad and side-by-side crowds that gather that point and laugh, but it's all in the fun of it. I've had a hard time getting out more than one time myself (I've been pulled out at least once per trip), and sometimes it's fun to see folks that are unfamiliar with the circumstances just dive in and try to crawl back out. When it comes down to it tracks don't help, big tires don't help, a jet drive doesn't help, speed doesn't help. It's just a matter of physics. I don't know if it falls into the category of "severe limitation", but I admit that it's frustrating. A lot of the arguments against AATVs is that they're slow and get easily high centered. I agree... they are, and they do compared to some other off-road options.

The fact is, if you drive reeeeeally fast and don't ever get stuck, your ride is over a heck of a lot sooner.

[dzg]

Even with the limitations our 6x6s have there still more capable then there 4 wheeled counterpart. See if most 4 wheelers could even make it out to the cat tails you got hung up on

[rodp]

Why don't you stop off here on your way out, could be the answer


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