This RV Floats!
Surf and turf anyone? The Terra Wind is an insane luxury Class A motorhome with the standard bells and whistles: leather seating, full kitchen, laundry machine, huge glass shower and a pair of 19-inch propellers with a separate marine transmission.
Debuting in July 2003 on Good Morning America, the Terra Wind was (is? Unknown, there’s no clear info to be found up to date) an ambitious creation of CAMI founder John Giljam and his wife. Giljam never attended college or even took an engineering class, but learned to fix tractors in his childhood and rented out jet skis as an adult. Deciding he needed a way to launch said jet skis from the water instead of the shore, he DIYed an old amphibious military vehicle, then realized that it was more fun to ride that rig with people than it was to rent the jet skis! He ditched the rentals business and began work on a 46-person amphibious tour bus called the Hydra-Terra.
And so began the Giljams’ adventure into unique land and water recreational vehicles of all shapes and sizes! They founded their company, Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International (or CAMI), and yes that is the real name, with the intention of “designing, creating, and manufacturing original custom built amphibious and non-amphibious vehicles” of which the Terra Wind is only one of their designs that you can custom purchase.
When it debuted, the demonstration unit was done up like a high-class yacht with marble tile floors, teak wood cabinets, leather furnishings, and granite countertops. Though their catalog advertises “endless customization and floorplan options” including a jacuzzi, washer/dryer, and other upgrades among your standard RV expectations like a queen bed and residential kitchen.
And the price? Oh, just $1.2 million USD, at least for everything seen in the demonstration unit.
Now as cool as this RV is, so far it all sounds kinda like a late night as-seen-on-TV ad right? Like, this is something a kid would draw in crayon when asked to design a “really cool machine” during science class. That’s just my opinion of course, but I’m a naturally skeptical human being. So I went looking deeper to see what others were saying about this acid-trip dream design.
First: the CAMI catalog states that their “amphibious vehicles posses the patented safety feature of being unsinkable,” and I started humming Celine Dion to myself. As a person who literally writes for a living, maybe don’t use the term “unsinkable” when talking about a new boat-esc machine, y’know? Doesn’t have a great history.
Jack and Rose of it all aside, others shared my hesitance online with comments ranging from observations of the Terra Wind’s travel limitations – if can travel 80 mph and 4-7 knots on the water (both numbers have come up as it’s top speed), but is stated to only be able to handle up to 4-foot waves and 40 mph winds, and shouldn’t be taken out on open water (stick to the rivers and lakes that you’re used to). Unlike an actual yacht, you’ll be on the lake for any water voyages.
Another commenter brought up a flaw in the floorplan: when on the water, you can only enjoy a swim from the rear 6-foot swim deck at the very back. As well as questioning what the gas mileage is on such a decked-out vehicle.
Finally, aside from a few old YouTube videos and the CAMI website, evidence of this RV is extremely limited and hunts to locate any units that are in use today came up dry (hah). So, if anyone has seen one in the wild, per say, I’d love to know about it!