Smuggler Marine is bringing one of its most comprehensive displays yet to this year's Auckland Boat Show, with a lineup spanning both amphibious and conventional RIBs and giving visitors a genuine side-by-side comparison of the two platforms.
The collection covers a wide range of applications, from family-focused open layouts to offshore-capable hulls, while illustrating how Smuggler's amphibious technology has evolved across different boat sizes and configurations.
Three amphibious models sit at the heart of the display. The Strata 800 Super Sport Amphibious heads the lineup, joined by the Strata 800 Mid Cabin Amphibious and the Strata 700 Centre Console Amphibious. Taken together, they trace how Smuggler has adapted its amphibious system across varying layouts, from open family boats through to more enclosed cabin designs. For anyone thinking seriously about beach access, ramp flexibility, or reducing trailer dependency, the chance to walk through three different amphibious configurations in one place is a real drawcard.
Rounding out the stand are two conventional RIBs: the Strata 750 Centre Console RIB and the compact 580 RIB. Their presence alongside the amphibious models is deliberate. Buyers can directly assess the differences in ride, layout, and mechanical complexity between the two approaches, and it makes clear that Smuggler continues to invest in its deep vee RIB range rather than stepping back from it as the amphibious programme grows.
The newest boat on the stand is the 800 Super Sport, a bowrider-style RIB that made its debut at last year's show and has since been delivered to customers. Built on the proven 780 Super Sport hull, the 800 SS is designed to appeal to watersports enthusiasts, divers, and families, while remaining capable enough for genuine offshore work. The bow section seats up to five people, with six further seats in the cockpit, giving the boat a claimed total capacity of up to 12 without compromising deck space or blue water intent.
Power for the amphibious system comes from the Anura Electric Over Hydraulic setup, which uses a 28kW air-cooled electric motor fed by a 12.4kWh battery pack. Smuggler quotes a land runtime of around 45 to 60 minutes depending on terrain and conditions. On the water, the 800 SS runs the same 27-degree deep vee hull that Smuggler fits across its 7.5-metre-and-above models. Paired with a Mercury 300hp V8, that combination is rated to reach speeds close to 50 knots.
For prospective buyers, the value of Smuggler's show presence is the ability to move between both platforms in a single visit, assessing layout, access, and real-world practicality in person rather than relying on spec sheets. Both approaches share the same hull DNA, which makes for an unusually direct comparison whether the appeal is amphibious convenience or the straightforwardness of a traditional RIB.
The Auckland Boat Show runs on the waterfront in Auckland from 5th to 8th March 2026.
