The first amphibious RIB with integrated trailer
In 2018, Wettoncraft - based in Tourcoing in northern France - launched the amphibious boat Wettoncraft which can be fitted with its own trailer. This project is led by Éric Divry - creator of the company - and Vincent Le Bailly - naval architect. The founder of the company, who was used to sailing in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez at the time, deplored the fact that it was too difficult to sail easily and often. Often confronted with towing logistics, he then decided to develop the first boat in the world to integrate a fully retractable road trailer.
The Wetton 56 - with a length of 5.50 m - combines marine, automotive and aeronautical technologies and took three years of research and development to see the light of day. The result was an innovative boat equipped with retractable wheels - like a landing gear - which allows it to be easily transported on the road behind a car.
The Wetton 56 is entirely made in France - the hull in Granville, the composite deck in Caen and the hypalon floats by Zeppelin in Le Mans. The elements are then assembled in Tourcoing at the builder's premises.
A convivial and spacious boat
The hull, made of aluminium to maximize strength, has been redesigned to bring more comfort on board and sporty behaviour. The Wetton 56 is therefore a seaworthy boat, offering a very good passage at sea and a lot of security.
The aft saloon is user-friendly and spacious, offering 6 real seats and optimised storage, for greater comfort both at sea and at anchor. The cockpit is neat and includes an overhead console and an adjustable leaning-post, ensuring a fluid circulation on board and a perfect driving position.
A total of 8 people can board the boat.
Access to all water bodies without storage problems
The objective of the founders of Wettoncraft is to simplify the practice of powerboating and access to the slipways. Indeed, no need to find a parking space to store the trailer, since it is directly integrated into bateau?! Malin?!
The Wetton 56 is easy to use and to tow behind your car. On the road, it is approved for a maximum speed of 90 km/h - it has both a French registration document and a car registration document. The wheels are equipped with fibreglass suspension springs and electric cylinders to switch smoothly to trailer mode.
Once on site, it takes 3 minutes to uncouple the boat from your vehicle and put it in the water. All you have to do is retract the tiller by 1/4 turn, board the boat with your crew and drive to the launch hold. This operation can be carried out alone, safely and without any complexity. Once in the water, all you have to do is retract the wheels so that the boat can sail.
Its wheels also give it great stability against the waves during the embarkation and disembarkation phases.
Apart from no longer needing storage space at the ports, Wettoncraft offers the freedom to roam from one port to another, without the obligation to return to your home port.
Two new ranges and variations
Two years after the launch of its boat, Wettoncraft has evolved and developed two new ranges - Evolution and Performance - and their Roadway and Coastway versions (with or without integrated trailer) to offer boaters the package of their choice according to their needs in terms of budget and functionalities.
The range " Evolution" is more accessible and offers models with actuator-controlled landing gear deployment. It requires an operating bar coupled to a towing vehicle to provide traction on the ground. Thus, thanks to its detachable tow bar at the front, the Wetton Evolution slips into the water with the help of a towing vehicle. All you have to do then is get on board and raise the undercarriage to go sailing.
In the "Roadway" version, the Wetton becomes a rolling boat with its own trailer. It is approved for road use up to 90 km/h. This version is particularly suitable for cabotage on lakes, where the absence of trailer parking is frequent. The "Coastway" version can be transported on a traditional trailer with landing gear that can be used on the beach. This will allow you to cross large beaches accessible by quad.
The range " Performance The new, more sophisticated "Ship's Club" offers all the features to make the launching and on-water experience a pleasure to sail. Thanks to its motorized wheels, the Wetton 56 allows you to free yourself from the constraints of launching, whether on a slipway or on a beach.
Simple, easy, fast and safe are the key words of this new range. The ground movement is autonomous, motorized by a new, more powerful electro-hydraulic system that allows 6 people to embark and disembark.
Numerous developments to increase the pleasure on board
The new design of the landing gear in 2 x 2 wheels This gives more grip on hard sand, while maintaining good handling, and retracts completely to be fully concealed.
The lithium-ion battery pack is now standard on the Performance version offering 25 minutes of autonomy. And to double the time of use in land travel, it is now possible to choose an extended pack.
An ergonomic digital tablet The new Wetton control system, developed in exclusive partnership with Garmin, includes all the control functions of the Wetton, in particular the transitions from Road - Amphibious - Boat mode, an equipment generally available on units of 10 m and more. Its user interface is intuitive and allows easy control of the boat.
