Amphibious van hits $6200 on Trade Me

Bidders have ramped up the auction for a home-made, interisland amphibious van to $6200 overnight.

Yesterday the Trade Me auction had reached $5000, with 118 bids but during the past 24 hours another 19 bids pushed the price up another $1200.

The matt black DIY boatvan, called Roofliss by its builders Adam Turnbull and Dan Melling, crossed Cook Strait on Sunday. It took 10 hours for the 65km journey from Waikawa Bay Marina to Mana Marina

The pair of aeronautical engineers, both 23, dreamed up the interisland voyage to keep busy and out of Blenheim's bars. They completed the conversion of the Toyota Townace for about $2000.

Their auction description attested to the power of the "only van you can't get done DIC in".

The van could end up alongside other great New Zealand sea-faring vessels in the New Zealand National Maritime Museum in Auckland.

Museum chief executive Paul Evans said the museum, which also housed NZL32, Black Magic, which won the 1995 Americas Cup, was interested in adding the van to its collection.

"It's something we think is very unique and it's something that the public of New Zealand will be interested in learning more about," Mr Evans said.

"We are not awash with cash," Mr Evans said. "We will watch the auction to see if it makes sense for us to stay in that race.

Bids close on September 14.

- NZPA