Amphibious vehicle

1. An amphibious vehicle having a power train comprising:

an engine;

an in-line transmission;

and a power take off;

wherein:

the power take off is located forward of the engine between the engine and the transmission thereby separating the engine and the transmission;

said power take off is adapted to transfer drive to a marine propulsion unit located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by means of a drive shaft;

and the output from the transmission is adapted to transfer drive to a differential located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle.

2. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 having an oil sump connected to a lower portion of the engine and wherein said drive shaft runs below the oil sump of the engine.

3. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 having an oil sump connected to a lower portion of the engine and wherein said drive shaft runs through the oil sump of the engine.

4. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive shaft runs alongside the engine.

5. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the power take off has an output shaft coupled at one end to the drive shaft;

the power take off and the output shaft are housed in a chain case;

and the chain case spaces the transmission from the engine.

6. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 5 having an oil sump connected to a lower portion of the engine and wherein a portion of the drive shaft is fully enclosed in a tunnel through the oil sump pump.

7. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 5 wherein a drive line to the marine propulsion unit comprises the output shaft and the drive shaft, and a decoupler is provided in the drive line from the power take off to the marine propulsion unit for selectively coupling and decoupling drive to the marine propulsion unit.

8. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , in which the differential is located rearward of the engine.

9. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 having an oil sump connected to a lower portion of the engine and in which the output from the power take off is in the form of an output shaft which is connected to the drive shaft which runs below or through the oil sump of the engine or alongside the engine.

10. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , in which the marine propulsion unit is located in line with, or substantially in line with, the engine and the transmission.

11. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , in which the output from the transmission is transferred to the differential through a transfer case.

12. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , in which the transfer case is adapted to drive a further differential located toward the front of the vehicle for driving the front wheels of the vehicle.

13. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , in which a decoupler is provided such that drive to the marine propulsion unit can be selectively coupled and decoupled.

14. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , in which the engine is adapted to be mounted in the vehicle such that a crankshaft of the engine is substantially in alignment with the central longitudinal axis of the vehicle and with the front or timing end of the engine facing the rear of the vehicle.

15. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the output from the transmission is adapted to transfer drive to said differential located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by way of a drive shaft which runs below the engine.

16. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 having a Vee-type hull.

17. An amphibious vehicle as claimed in claim 1 having a cathedral hull.

18. An amphibious vehicle having a power train comprising:

an engine having an oil sump connected to a lower portion of the engine;

an in-line transmission;

and a power take off;

wherein:

the power take off is located between the engine and the transmission thereby separating the engine and the transmission;

said power take off is adapted to transfer drive to a marine propulsion unit located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by means of a drive shaft;

the output from the transmission is adapted to transfer drive to a differential located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle;

and said drive shaft runs below the oil sump of the engine.

19. An amphibious vehicle having a power train comprising:

an engine having an oil sump connected to a lower portion of the engine;

an in-line transmission;

and a power take off;

wherein:

the power take off is located between the engine and the transmission thereby separating the engine and the transmission;

said power take off is adapted to transfer drive to a marine propulsion unit located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by means of a drive shaft;

the output from the transmission is adapted to transfer drive to a differential located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle;

and said drive shaft runs through the oil sump of the engine.

20. An amphibious vehicle having a power train comprising:

an engine;

an in-line transmission;

and a power take off;

wherein:

the power take off is located between the engine and the transmission thereby separating the engine and the transmission;

said power take off is adapted to transfer drive to a marine propulsion unit located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by means of a drive shaft;

the output from the transmission is adapted to transfer drive to a differential located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle;

and said drive shaft runs alongside the engine.

21. An amphibious vehicle having a south-north power train comprising:

an engine;

an in-line transmission;

and a power take off;

wherein:

the power take off is located between the engine and the transmission thereby separating the engine and the transmission;

said power take off is adapted to transfer drive to a marine propulsion unit located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle by means of a drive shaft;

and the output from the transmission is adapted to transfer drive to a differential located at the rear of the amphibious vehicle.