The Sea Skimmer was a leisure Personal Watercraft (PWC) unique within the family of Personal Watercraft, whereas the operator laid prone on the boat and steered with shifting leg motions and body weight to control the craft, reaching speeds up to 25 MPH. The Sea Skimmer (renamed Aqua Skimmer) preceded the modern Jet Ski / Sea Doo. It was transferred into classified Military service in 1962 with boats modified by Aqua Dart INC. It was instrumental in River Reconnaissance missions during the Vietnam war by the United States Naval Special Warfare Command.
Sea Skimmer/Aqua Skimmer
The Sea Skimmer was made by Aqua Sport, Inc. of Lawrence, Kansas from May 1959 through December 1962. The Sea Skimmer was designed for family recreation, touting the ability to pull water skiers, carry cargo or an additional person. It offered a model with reduced speed (battery powered) for “child safe” family fun. The boats were sized such that a pair of Skimmers would fit within the trunk of a typical car or the rear of a station wagon (in the 1960s) and hand carried by two people. In 1959, the fiberglass hull technology was cutting edge in the boating community.
Aqua Sport, Inc. of Kansas City transferred operations to “AquaSkimmer Inc” of Boynton Beach Florida on April 11 1962, intending to develop an hourly rental market for tourists as well as individual boat sales. It was featured as a base for skin diving, pulling a water skier, ship to shore transportation in rescue work, a lifesaving boats for beaches, and a float for deep water swimming. The Aqua Skimmer appeared in boat shows and sporting events nationwide. John Tetyak was the new corporate officer and he claimed to be "the inventor of the concept".
The Coast Guard classified the Aqua Skimmer as an “Ocean-Going Vessel” requiring extensive modifications for offshore recreational use. Aqua Skimmer INC, ceased activity by 1963. The corporation known as "Aqua Skimmer INC" was eventually dissolved June 7, 1966.
Government interest
In early 1961, Aqua Skimmer INC provided 5 boats to the US Navy for testing and evaluation with custom modifications said to include being painted black and adding reinforced gun mounts.
According to The Palm Beach Post Thursday, September 27, 1962, "The Navy has been using 5 models for Testing and Evaluation. [Company spokesman John Tetyak] declined to say how many boats the Navy wanted but said it would be a sizeable order. Filling the governments order will require a large increase in the number of employees... The boats are being altered to meet specifications set up by the Navy”
According to the Pensacola News Journal, December 14, 1962, Aqua Skimmer, Inc. announced an R&D contract with the Navy "for all the boats now being produced in conformity to Naval Specifications at the firm's local warehouse, to be delivered to an undisclosed area in the Caribbean for further evaluation by all branches of the armed services".
A militarized version known as “Aqua Dart” was created (July 1963 patent). The Aqua Dart was designated USNX 1-AD (US Navy Experimental 1-Aqua Dart). (Declassified July 2022),
Documents regarding Aqua Skimmer / Aqua Dart, obtained through a Freedom of Information Request, details UDT-12, UDT-22 and Seal Team 2 operational evaluations of both the Aqua Skimmer and Aqua Dart. This group of NARA records (Record Group 38) reflect the Navy's interest in special warfare, particularly in relationship to the conflict involving South Vietnam. The Naval Special Warfare Group, Pacific, specifically was responsible for the readiness and training of such units as the UDTs, SEALs, Beach Jumper Units, and small inshore warfare craft, including PTFs(airborne frogmen). These files relate especially to the development of new equipment and other technical matters that were of interest to unconventional naval forces.
UDT-12, Underwater Demolition Team-12 (the predecessor to the Navy Seals) conducted an evaluation of the Aqua Dart as a “River Reconnaissance System”.
UDT-22/Seal Team-2. In 1966, the modified Aqua Skimmer "Aqua Dart" (22 HP Model) was evaluated in two independent studies. First as a Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV) by the Navy's "Underwater Demolition Team-22"(August 1966); and second, by the Navy’s “Seal Team Two” (Sept 1966). Evaluation results listed several future mission opportunities for the Aqua Dart within the Navy’s immediate needs.
Design and Operations
Harry Hoch was responsible for design, development, test, project accountability for Aqua Sport, Inc, as well as a major investor. The company was registered under the Blue sky law in Missouri under a licensed patent by AQUA-JET® for design and development of the Sea Skimmer.