Recreational vehicles can provide a ton of fun, whether you’re riding an ATV on land or a jet ski on the water. Maybe you prefer tearing through the forest on an ATV. Maybe you prefer tearing through water on a jet ski. However, what if you want to do both? While it is fun to accumulate recreational toys, it can be expensive to get both. That brings us to the topic of amphibious vehicles like the Gibbs Quadski, an ATV that turns into a jet ski.  

How do ATVs and jet skis work?

All-terrain vehicles, or ATVs, have four low-pressure or non-pneumatic tires, a seat you have to straddle, and handlebars to control steering. A Type I ATV only has room for one person, the driver, with no space for passengers. A Type II ATV has space for a passenger to sit behind the driver. If you don’t have a Type II ATV, you should never bring along a passenger. 

Jet skis are personal watercrafts or PWCs, and technically, Jet Ski is a specific brand name from Kawasaki. However, colloquially, jet ski often refers to the whole class of PWCs. A PWC uses an inboard jet drive as its primary propulsion source and is designed to be operated by a driver sitting, standing, or kneeling on the PWC. There are single rider PWCs and multiple rider PWCs, and as with ATVs, if it is not designed to have more than one person, you should not have any additional riders. 

What is the Gibbs Quadski (ATV/jet ski)?

Gibbs Sports Amphibians introduced the Quadski to the world in 2013, an amphibious vehicle that is both an ATV and a jet ski. With a BMW Motorrad K1300 water-cooled four-stroke inline-four engine that puts out 140 hp and 87 lb-ft of torque, the Quadski has a top speed of 45 mph on both water and land. When you’re riding it on land, the suspension with independent coil springs and hydraulic dampers allows excellent handling and a great ride. Additionally, when you want to hit the water, a single push of a button causes the suspension and wheels to retract in under five seconds, and the jet propulsion system takes over.

You can’t get a new Gibbs Quadski, but you can get a used one

When Gibbs manufactured the Quadski and the Quadski XL, they made over 1000 vehicles, which have all been sold. So, unfortunately, you can’t get a new Quadski, but you can look for used models for sale. When you are looking for a used Quadski, you need to be aware of a recall Gibbs had in 2015. According to Gibbs, the recall was due to handlebars failing during operation, which could cause the driver to lose control. So, if you are buying an earlier model, you need to make sure it wasn’t part of the recall or that it was repaired. 

If you really want to combine riding across land and sea without spending money on separate ATVs and jet skis, trying to find a used Quadski should be your top priority. You can start by checking out Google to see where you might be able to find one. Additionally, don’t head down to a dealer without first doing a little research. Since you can’t buy them new anymore, you might not find them at a dealership, even one with used recreational vehicles.