Vietnam’s first hovercraft, made by a group of students at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, is on a trial run on the city’s Saigon River.

Vietnam's first hovercraft is on a trial run on the Saigon River in HCMC, Photo: Tuoi Tre

During the test that began yesterday and will end May 18, the group checked the boat in straight movement, rotation, and in rescuing people drifting on the river.

The boat, which is named Bakvee (Bach Khoa Air Cushion Vehicle) by the group, was made by the vacuum casting method with materials as like wood, composites and foam.

Bakvee is 4.2 meters long, weighs 180 kg, has a power of 26 CV and can travel at 30-40 kph. 

The boat can be operated on land and in water and can accommodate 3 people.

Equipped with the Global Positioning System (GPS), it can function as a rescue and tourist boat at a maximum operating range of 150 km. 

If the test ends in success, the group will set out a list of standard technical specifications for this kind of boat and prepare instructions for its operation.

As hovercrafts are totally new to the country’s maritime sector, the producers said it would coordinate with concerned agencies to set up procedures for registration of hovercrafts in Vietnam.

Source: Tuoi Tre