Sask. couple making waves with the 'Amphicar'
One Saskatchewan couple is making waves in their Amphicar this summer, a vintage vehicle that is part car and part boat.
Stan Brenner has dreamed of owning an Amphicar since he was seven years old, when a friend gave him a ride in one.
His dream finally came true four years ago when he bought a similar vehicle from the same friend.
"I said if you ever want to sell it, I would be really interested in buying it. So, the guy I knew passed away, and his son had no interest in it, so I bought it,” said Amphicar owner Stan Brenner.
It is a 41HP Amphibi car model 770, "It's called a 770, because it's supposed to do 70 miles on land, and seven miles in the water,” Brenner said.
Only 3,878 of the Western German manufactured amphibious cars were ever made and Brenner said very few can still float.
“I've got one of the 300 that swim in the world,” Brenner said.
Brenner's wife, Karla Sastaunik, said she didn't know what an Amphicar was until she met him. Now, she gets a kick when others learn about it too.
“The best part is [when] somebody isn't aware of what this does and they see us driving into the lake, the expression on their face, and their arms go up like they’re going to scream,” she explained.
The vehicle can be launched into the water by simply driving in. When it’s on water, it drives similar to a regular car
"You just turn the steering wheel and it's just like a regular boat, but the front wheels are what steers it,” Brenner said.
The couple often spends their weekends driving on Good Spirit Lake.
“If we see someone around, and they wave, and we have the time, we offer them a ride,” Sastaunik said.
The two enjoy offering rides in the vintage vehicle.
“We love sharing it with other people,” Sastaunik said.
"When it’s young kids, I always tell them about how Stan got this, and I always say, “You never know, one day you might own this.’”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.