Our Equipment
Ride Out of the History Books
The Ride The Ducks amphibious vehicle is based on the famous WWII DUKW amphibious design. Today, we build our vehicles from the ground up using the latest in marine design and safety. The vehicles are United States Coast Guard certified and tested regularly to ensure a safe and comfortable tour for our guests.
In our 30+ year history our specially prepared amphibious vehicles have safely carried over 10 million guests on over 500,000 duck boat tours!
Ride The Ducks is a fully insured and licensed passenger carrier, operating under the authority of the State of California, Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), TCP0024241-A.
DUKW's in History
Ducks were first built by General Motors in 1942 and were basically a truck enclosed in a water-tight shell. You may think they are called ducks because they can splash into the water and out again, but actually DUKW is a military acronym. The letters are codes indicating that it was designed in 1942 (D), for utility/amphibious purposes (U), with front wheel drive (K), and two rear driving axles (W).
The first operational use of the DUKW was in March, 1943, when the U.S. landed Army troops on Noumea, New Caledonia. Later organized into companies, the DUKW displayed its versatility by carrying ammunition directly from anchored ships to shore. This use of the DUKWs kept American casualties to a minimum, but a bigger purpose surfaced as American ingenuity took over. Some of the DUKWs were modified to carry 4.5-inch rockets.
General Patton and General Eisenhower realized the DUKW was an invaluable war tool, and they were impressed by its capabilities. Over 1,000 DUKWs were used in the Sicilian landings of 1943 alone. Operation Overlord, the landing in Normandy, was the most crucial operation in history with circumstances that made the DUKWs virtually indispensable. Approximately, 2,000 DUKWs brought to shore 40% of all supplies landed between June 6 and September 1, 1944.
Ride The Ducks Vehicles and Hurricane Katrina
Our vehicles are not only the best and most proven design for amphibious sightseeing, but they have also proved worthy in rescue missions. Ride The Ducks was the only amphibious tour operator/manufacturer to support the rescue and evacuation efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. We immediately volunteered equipment, crew, and other resources in order to help evacuate hundreds of residents of the hardest-hit areas. Our team of volunteers was deemed "invaluable" by many involved in the rescue effort as our ducks were able to safely access and remove large numbers of people from areas inaccessible by other means. Not since Normandy have we been so proud of our Ducks-and our people.