Testing

Rigorous testing for certification by the United States Coast Guard
includes Fire On Water and Damaged Stability tests.

The development stage of the ARKTOS Amphibious Craft, from 1981-1987, is a story of continuous testing and trials briefly covered on the "History" page of this website. During that time every detail from the general configuration of the Craft to the most efficient attack angle of the grouser-spikes was tested and examined.

Today, the production of ARKTOS Amphibious Craft demands testing and trials of the constant improvements needed to meet customer requirements. For example, the mission profile of our current evacuation Craft includes passenger survival in the H2S gas clouds and burning oil slicks that might be encountered during the evacuation of bottom founded oilrigs and the ability to remain afloat after damaging the hull's integrity in ice infested waters.

The Fire on Water test proves the Craft's ability to support human life while transiting a burning oil-slick. This test was carried out with the year 2000 model ARKTOS in a scenario-pool located at the Justice Institute of British Columbia's Maple Ridge Campus - Fire & Safety Training Center.

The pool was filled with water, the Craft loaded into the pool and 180 gallons of "Flame Tech" was added. Once the Flame Tech was ignited the fire was allowed to burn for 17 minutes. During that time the temperature inside the Craft increased 1 degree Centigrade with no ingress of the external gasses created by flame.

The Damaged Stability test models a "worst case" situation where two main compartments are flooded to equilibrium with the surrounding seawater. In this photograph the engine room and passenger compartment of the front unit were allowed to flood completely. The weight of all 52 passengers was modeled with sand bags located in the upper buoyancy chambers.

Testing has also included a series of tank tests in Canada and Germany. In this photograph, taken at HSVA in Hamburg Germany, the ability of the Craft to deploy from a ramp into moving ice is model-tested without mishap. Other tank tests have included the Craft's seakeeping ability during a 100-year storm in the Caspian Sea.