Dreadnort Boats unveils multipurpose POD featuring 5-mm marine-grade aluminium plating

New Zealand-based Dreadnort Boats, the famous watercraft manufacturer, recently unveiled a distinctive multi-purpose portable building called the Point of Difference (POD). The current prototype, designed to serve as a mobile workplace, is built with 6-mm toughened safety glass windows and 5-mm marine-grade aluminium plating. It has a weight of 1.1 tons, dimensions of 200 x 98 x 98 in (5.1 x 2.5 x 2.5 m), a plan-view area of 101 sq ft (9.4 sq m), and maximum interior headroom of 79 in (201.5 cm).

POD means Point Of Difference, which is given following its distinctive functionality and design. As part of a case study in 2011, the designers were tasked with creating a tsunami refuge that could serve as a boat or trailer. This led to the conception of the POD.

The prototype's V-shaped seating areas, which have under-seat storage compartments and two drop-down tables with cushions that double as beds, can accommodate up to 12 people. Lifting lugs on the roof allow the entire structure to be raised by a crane or helicopter and moved from one place to another on a boat trailer.

The POD's primary body is supported by four height-adjustable jacks, allowing a maximum lift of 10 cm (3.9 in). Inhabitants can approach and exit through a two-piece gull-wing door with fold-down steps.

Even though it is theoretically capable of being connected to the local electrical grid, the shelter also has two 150-watt solar panels that power a 200-Ah deep cycle battery. A compact refrigerator can be powered by two 12-volt DC sockets, while a laptop or TV can be powered by a 350-watt inverter. Additionally, there are two USB ports for recharging electronic devices.