Airboats
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Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2015
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From: Near Salmon Arm BC
Airboats
I'm dreaming about building an airboat.
Has anyone here done so?
Advice?
I have an airplane engine and prop I've thought about using, but is that best?
Open to all tips.
Has anyone here done so?
Advice?
I have an airplane engine and prop I've thought about using, but is that best?
Open to all tips.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
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From: Sportsman's Paradise
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,606
Likes: 5,629
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
newer technology is automotive water cooled engine.
old technology was an air cooled 4 or 6 cylinder horizontally opposed engine, like a Volkswagen 4 , or Lycoming 6 plane engine
old technology was an air cooled 4 or 6 cylinder horizontally opposed engine, like a Volkswagen 4 , or Lycoming 6 plane engine
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 995
Likes: 367
From: Republic of Texas
Also...
If you use an aircraft engine be aware they are not what you are familiar with for maintenance or repair.
Do you have an aircraft engine parts supplier on almost corner everywhere you would go or maybe a corner store for automotive engines?
If you use an aircraft engine be aware they are not what you are familiar with for maintenance or repair.
Do you have an aircraft engine parts supplier on almost corner everywhere you would go or maybe a corner store for automotive engines?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Blast from the past about one air boat:
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2011
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It sounds like a fun project. You've got most of the major pieces. With the right boat you're ready to start fabricating. Note that you probably don't want to build your own boat. I'd suggest finding a hull from an old airboat and using it.
If you've never been around airboats, be cautioned that they're special purpose craft. They're loud. You cannot talk with anyone else in the boat with the motor running. There's a reason that the tours hand out earmuffs to their riders.
It used to be that the straight pipes was all the "muffler" needed. That's not true everywhere today as the number of airboats has grown and people with expensive lake-front property don't want an airboat's noise that close to the house. The law wouldn't let your next door neighbor create that kind of racket on land and the laws are catching up to limit airboat noise.
Some of the newer props do a better job of moving through the air with less noise. I have no idea what their availability and costs are.
Just some things to factor into the equation. (But it's hard to argue against any project that results in a functional boat!)
If you've never been around airboats, be cautioned that they're special purpose craft. They're loud. You cannot talk with anyone else in the boat with the motor running. There's a reason that the tours hand out earmuffs to their riders.
It used to be that the straight pipes was all the "muffler" needed. That's not true everywhere today as the number of airboats has grown and people with expensive lake-front property don't want an airboat's noise that close to the house. The law wouldn't let your next door neighbor create that kind of racket on land and the laws are catching up to limit airboat noise.
Some of the newer props do a better job of moving through the air with less noise. I have no idea what their availability and costs are.
Just some things to factor into the equation. (But it's hard to argue against any project that results in a functional boat!)
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Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 21,195
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From: Near Salmon Arm BC
An IO 550 will weigh a lot less than a V8 automotive engine, and also doesn't need a radiator, fan, etc.
I'm very used to aircraft engines and their maintenance, which really isn't that bad at all.
I rebuilt the IO 550 myself, except the mags which I sent out to be rebuilt.
Thanks everyone.
I'm very used to aircraft engines and their maintenance, which really isn't that bad at all.
I rebuilt the IO 550 myself, except the mags which I sent out to be rebuilt.
Thanks everyone.
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Fleet Owner
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From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
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From: Sportsman's Paradise
An IO 550 will weigh a lot less than a V8 automotive engine, and also doesn't need a radiator, fan, etc.
I'm very used to aircraft engines and their maintenance, which really isn't that bad at all.
I rebuilt the IO 550 myself, except the mags which I sent out to be rebuilt.
Thanks everyone.
I'm very used to aircraft engines and their maintenance, which really isn't that bad at all.
I rebuilt the IO 550 myself, except the mags which I sent out to be rebuilt.
Thanks everyone.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 21,195
Likes: 306
From: Near Salmon Arm BC
What about the huge cost difference and availability of av gas and pump gas? Down here there's plenty of docks where you can pull in and fill up if needed with pump gas, don't remember seeing any places on the bayou with av gas except maybe the occasional seaport. Or can your engine run on pump gas?
Aviation gas as we've known it for many decades is about to change to.
There is also no chance of vapor locking due to high altitudes, as it will not ever be up high, which is something else that avgas helps with over pump gas.
It will never be used above 5000'.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 21,195
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From: Near Salmon Arm BC
Well it is now 11 months later, and I've done nothing with this.
Life sort of got in the way of building an airboat.
Built a house, bought more farm land, and moved this week.
Pretty much been working 7 days a week, 12 plus hours a day.
Since life should be slowing down some now, I hope to within the next year build an airboat.
Life sort of got in the way of building an airboat.
Built a house, bought more farm land, and moved this week.
Pretty much been working 7 days a week, 12 plus hours a day.
Since life should be slowing down some now, I hope to within the next year build an airboat.
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