Making the Impassable Possible for Four Decades —And counting
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The History of Marsh Master®
In 1971, John B. Coast, an avid duck hunter and a mechanical engineer with extensive machine design experience, was challenged by some fellow hunting partners in a duck lease south of Morgan City, LA to build a machine that could get them into hunting areas that were virtually inaccessible. John accepted the challenge and went to the drawing board. In the summer of 1971, he designed and built a small marsh buggy that was used very successfully on that duck lease for several years. In 1980 he realized that what he had learned over those years could be applied in the commercial market. After much thought, prayer and encouragement from others, his vision was realized. Coast Machinery began production of the Marsh Master® Amphibious Marsh Buggy, a lightweight, high flotation, aluminum marsh buggy with pontoons inside a rubber belt track system.
In July 1981, the first Marsh Master® Amphibious Marsh Buggy was delivered to an oilfield surveying company in Lafayette, LA. That machine is still in use today. Over the years, the basic design has been improved, refined and expanded to include larger models as well as specialty attachments.
Coast Machinery Timeline
Coast Machinery incorporates in the state of Louisiana.
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Did you know?
Before Coast Machinery began manufacturing Marsh Master® marsh buggies, John B. Coast developed and patented a machine to fold and package plastic garbage bags, eventually selling the patent to Glad®. He also developed and patented a machine that extracted meat out of crab claws.
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After being challenged by hunting buddies, John B. Coast began developing a small hydrostatic drive, chain-track marsh buggy for personal use. This new machine would allow them to hunt areas that were remote and inaccessible.
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After learning about the Louisiana department of wildlife and fisheries constant and costly maintenance issues with chain-track amphibious vehicles, John knew he had a solution and the first prototype rubber belt tracked marsh buggy was built. John sells his patented folding machine to Glad® and enters the commercial marsh buggy industry.
The Marsh Master® is born.
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The first Marsh Master® marsh buggy was delivered to an oilfield surveying company in Lafayette, Louisiana. This machine was in heavy commercial use until 2016 and now has come back home to Mr. Coast to be used as his personal hunting buggy—a true testament to the quality of the build.
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US Patent and Trademark Office issues John B. Coast US Patent 4,433,634 for his tracked, amphibious vehicle with track securement and guide design.
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Coast Machinery introduces the first Marsh Master® MM-2 model. A bigger, more powerful version of the original Marsh Master® that becomes popular as an amphibious tool carrier for a variety of attachments.
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The Marsh Master® MM-1 is improved with the first diesel engine providing a more efficient and reliable marsh buggy.
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Coast Machinery solves another problem by developing and patenting the mini ram attachment for setting geophones and dynamite charges for the seismic industry.
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Coast Machinery introduces the Marsh Master® MM-2 with internal water tanks within the pontoons and high-volume, hydraulic driven water pump for fire fighting and control burning.
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John B. Coast develops and patents the first Anchor Master® utility guy wire anchor installer for the utility industry.
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The Marsh Master® MM-2 is designed with a hydraulic cutter attachment that revolutionized the way utility and pipeline right-of-ways are maintained through wetlands.
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Coast Machinery manufactures the newest Marsh Master® model, the MM-2LX, which is our flagship product.
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Coast Machinery develops a hydraulic front hitch with blade attachment for vegetation clearing.
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Coast Machinery develops and patents the Slick Sled™️ amphibious transport system allowing additional personnel or equipment up to 3,500 lbs to be transported through marsh, swamp, and all the dry ground in between.
When it Comes to Wetlands, Marsh Master® is Made for Anything
When it comes to engineering, fabricating and servicing Marsh Master® amphibious buggies, every detail, even down to the smallest part, is taken into account to make sure our customers are satisfied. Manufacturing well-engineered, reliable equipment and providing quality service after the sale have been hallmarks of Coast Machinery for four decades and counting.
Marsh Master® vehicles are presently being used by electric utility companies, contractors, surveyors, environmental companies, oil and gas companies, search and rescue and municipal/government agencies, simply because they can go through terrains that limit or stop other track type or wheel type vehicles. Ask anyone who’s operated one, and they’ll tell you that the Marsh Master® Amphibious Marsh Buggy is known worldwide as a quality piece of equipment with exceptional capabilities.
The Machinery Experts Behind Marsh Master®
Working in swamps and marshes is challenging work in a challenging environment. The people behind Marsh Master® Amphibious Marsh Buggy are committed to providing solutions to make your project a success.
