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
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.