Vessels & Vehicles

The Santa Barbara "Land Sharks" are Hydra Terras. Manufactured in New York State, these vehicles are not old military “DUCKS” used in World War II. They are new 2003 & 2015 state-of-the-art amphibians and are both DMV and U.S. Coast Guard certified, inspected and approved. There are about 80 Hydra Terras worldwide. The Hydra Terras are designed specifically for the tourist industry, and are built to today’s standards of technology. These are the only "T" vessels to have revolutionary positive buoyancy foam filled compartments. Therefore, the vessel will remain afloat even with the drain plugs removed and full engine room flooding, making the vessels virtually unsinkable! The Hydra-Terra has proven in actual tests verified by the U.S. Coast Guard to be more stable in the water than any other amphibious vehicle in the world.

The Land Sharks are 39' in length, 8.5' wide and can seat 45 passengers and 2 crewmembers. They are powered by 300hp Caterpillar ultra low emissions diesel engines, electronic steering, Allison transmissions, dual rear wheels and simultaneous 100% combined power on land and water for beaching operations. On land, the vehicles can travel up to 70 mph and have Anti-Lock disc brakes. They are operated by commercial drivers who hold a Class "B" CDL license with a “bus” certificate, as required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

On water, the Land Sharks travel at 9 knots and a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Master Captain operates the vessel. A first mate/tour guide is also present when passengers are on board. All Land and Sea crewmembers are trained in all safety procedures, first aid, CPR and are DOT drug tested as required by the U.S. Coast Guard.

A Land Shark is truly one of the most unique and exciting vehicles you will ever ride!

Land and Sea Tours LLC is a privately held local Santa Barbara company, founded in 2002. It is owned and operated by natives of Santa Barbara.