Blog | Navy SEAL-style Boating
May 1, 2019
Sixteen years ago, when U.S. Navy SEALs needed to secure offshore oil fields in the run-up to Operation Iraqi Freedom, they turned to one type of boat in particular to get the job done – the Mark V Special Operations Craft, a heavily-armed, jet-powered 82-footer capable of going 50+ knots. No surprise there. With its low-profile, rugged build, and serious performance, the Mark V was a go-to workhorse for Special Operations forces from 1995 to 2013.
Now, the U.S. government is providing these decommissioned vessels to American allies, Kuwait and Greece among them. It’s also auctioning one to the general public. As of this morning, there were 10 bids, with the highest one coming in at a modest $220,000. Given that the Navy paid an average of $3.7 million a piece for twenty Mark Vs, we like where this auction is heading.
Sadly, the boat’s 7.62mm and .50 caliber machine guns have been removed. So too have the 40mm automatic grenade launchers and highly-classified communications gear. But this soon-to-be auctioned Mark V, built in the mid-1990s, does come with some great features – a large main cabin, one Northern Lights 16kW generator, and a complete Furuno navigation system. The boat could be converted into a motor yacht or simply left alone. Talk about a bad ass day cruiser. If interested, you can place your bid right here:
https://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucdsclnk…
Read more about the Mark V here: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27686/this-high-speed-special-operations-boat-used-by-navy-seals-can-now-be-yours?fbclid=IwAR2GHw3zz8G0kiXAGYPBvG9WhAFH4NbjAA7CuzRppYwDz39DUrXSJxxQJpQ
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