Thrill seekers in Canterbury will soon be able to ride a boat more often found on the swamps of the Florida Everglades

Alpine Jet Thrills co-owner Paul Mullan and his team will today launch the first commercial airboat rides after getting approval from Maritime New Zealand.

Mullan says he came across the boats during an Alaskan jet boat expedition and was so impressed, that he and his wife bought one.

He says jet boats go over shallow water millimetres above the bottom - but an airboat can go over wet stones.

Mullan says the airboat rides on the Waimakariri River will have the novelty factor.