That’s what I was thinking. This lumbering hulk might be impressive over a plate-flat inland lake, but put it in a choppy sea and watch it drown like a drunk goose.
I can’t imagine anyone thinking of putting something like this in service on the North Sea which is infamous for it’s heavy gales.
Sixteen feet is well within a winter gale’s swell.
Sixteen feet also seems kind of high for a ground effect craft. The lower the better for efficiency of the ground effect. But taking these craft to sea you have to make choices.
Probably the best place to use ground effect craft is in the ferry service. Perhaps competing with Jet Express service (jet propelled hydroplanes)