Air Boats

[Rednine11]

Anybody know anything about them?
Considering buying one for a weekend toy.
I know they are designed pretty much for shallow water but how do they do in deep water?
It's a Lycoming engine with a fresh rebuild and a fiberglass hull so there should not be a lot to go wrong with it?

Any input is appreciated

[gshase]

lycoming 0-360 ?

[URY914]

If you buy it you are required to remove one of your front teeth.

[Rednine11]

Not sure of the model number. I'll check it sat.
I have no need for it at all. just found it and thought it would be fun to play with for a while.
and BTW I won't be removing any teeth but that is funny.
Ever watch swamp loggers where Shelby is always complaining about his "begonias"

[Zeke]

Is this an air cushion boat or a skimmer? I think either would be fun...



for a weekend.

[URY914]

Where do you live?

[tevake]

Seems like a lot of noise to put up with if you don't need the shallow draft capabilities, there are nicer ways to be on the water. But then it is an air cooled, opposed engine so might be fun to play with. Most of the air boats I saw growing up in Fla. we're aluminum hulls. They might be lighter and tougher. They do have to deal with impacts at high speeds.
Never have driven one, would be interesting to learn to steer that way. Kind of like a water jet driven boat.
Tell us about your test run.

[nota]

flat bottom sucks in waves

guy at the other end of my block has a sweet new air boat
has the lycoming pushing a carbon fiber prop $$$$$

but he has a power cat for deep water
as airboat are for swamps not open deep water

[kach22i]

I believe that hovercraft get twice the gas mileage of boats, and airboats half of that, which is why they have such large and powerful engines.

Have you seen the price of gas?

Think smart, think hovercraft:

Classifieds:
Classified Ads - Hoverclub of America

Example:

Hovercraft uh13t 25hp thrust, 12hp lift, with trailer,,,,running good ...$2500.00

[peppy]

I have no idea where you are going to use this, but stay the heck away from my house.

Airboats are the most annoying craft on the lake. I dislike them more than wave runners.

Some places have regulations on there use.

[RWebb]

there is nuthin' like seeing a big congregation of gators up ahead blocking the bayou - realizing that no ordinary boat could get thru but that yore air boat can skim raht over their backs before they can get they heads up to bite!

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by RWebb

there is nuthin' like seeing a big congregation of gators up ahead blocking the bayou - realizing that no ordinary boat could get thru but that yore air boat can skim raht over their backs before they can get they heads up to bite!

Yep, & Cyprus knees too..
No pussy hovercraft would survive the swamps, as their skirts would be shreaded

Plus, they are a blast to play with Simple & fun, what more can you ask for...

[Rednine11]

man that guy in this video is INSANE

[Rednine11]

I live in WV ..no regulations on them here at all.
a local guy runs an airboat on the Ohio River powered by a Radial Aircraft engine. man that thing sounds sweet

Originally Posted by peppy

I have no idea where you are going to use this, but stay the heck away from my house.

Airboats are the most annoying craft on the lake. I dislike them more than wave runners.

Some places have regulations on there use.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

Yep, & Cyprus knees too..
No pussy hovercraft would survive the swamps, as their skirts would be shreaded

Plus, they are a blast to play with Simple & fun, what more can you ask for...

Jimmy Buffet and the flying hair dryer...........................

Originally Posted by Rednine11

I live in WV ..no regulations on them here at all.
a local guy runs an airboat on the Ohio River powered by a Radial Aircraft engine. man that thing sounds sweet

Any swamps there? Racerbvd seems to believe this will be your area of operation.

What you think sounds sweet may not be very welcomed on populated rivers. If you can live with dirty looks by some, and cheers from others (which you will never hear), then go for it.

Some hovercraft can be relatively quite with 4-stroke engines and large slow rotating props (Sevtec). The vibration and fatigue can be far less on longer cruises as well.

The skirts can hold up to most river rocks, but tall reeds of some wetlands and would be a major problem.

Why you would want to disrupt nature and bird habitat that much is a subject of personal conscience.

[rouxroux]

Sometimes down here they are a "necessary evil" when the water levels are so low. I've made the mistake of taking our bowrider out, raising the lower unit and trying to skim some local bayous only to get hung up on sand, then having to pole out Not my favorite mode, but an airboat is a tool you just have to use sometimes. Unless you absolutely NEED one, I'd pass. (Plenty of used ones here)

[Rednine11]

Kach
I have already had a couple hovercrafts in the past and a jet boat.

I do not need an air boat or any other kind of boat. I was just considering it for an occasional weekend toy. I found one a half hour away at a fair price.
I rode on a couple air boats in Fla. I thought it was fun but it probably would get old real fast..I will probably pass on it but we'll see.........

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Rednine11

Kach
I have already had a couple hovercrafts in the past and a jet boat..

I found the old thread on that topic.

Porsche owners who own hovercrafts??? post pics