Hobbies And Interests
Kits
Kits are available that result in anything from a mini airboat that seats one person to the 20-foot-plus vessels used for tour-guiding. The most simple can be assembled with only the basic tools commonly found in a regular do-it-yourselfer̵7;s collection, using materials available at any home improvement warehouse. The largest rely on an exciting array of specialist products aimed only at the airboat enthusiasts̵7; market. Some companies sell detailed plans that guide the builder through the process, while others can dispatch full kits comprising every component necessary to create a finished project.
Choices
Some manufacturers offer a series of kits intended to fit the needs of customers with varying levels of enthusiasm. A basic kit consists of a hull fitted with an engine stand and a propeller guard, a seat stand and seat and a steering stick. A more comprehensive kit also comprises a rudder and a full steering assembly, a fuel tank and the necessary filler pipes and cap and a pilot̵7;s console without the gauges or connections. A complete kit is delivered with everything necessary to build an airboat other than the engine and drive train, and may even include a trailer.
Hulls
Hulls can be made from a number of different materials. A basic, no-frills but entirely safe and practicable hull can be made from wood. A heavier but more resilient option is mild steel, and stainless steel and aluminum both offer considerable strength at comparatively low weights. Fiberglass and fiberglass-covered wood are also popular choices. All, of course, can be painted and customized with graphics to suit the purchaser. Hulls for private-use airboats are typically between 7 and 9 feet long and around 4 feet wide.
Engines and Drive Trains
The airboat engine and drive train is seldom provided as part of a kit, largely because the requirements of individual users vary so greatly. Buying a used combo -- perhaps from an otherwise-destroyed airboat -- can be a cheap way out of the dilemma. For smaller kits, a lawnmower engine or the free-standing engines sold by farm-and-ranch suppliers to operate equipment can be entirely adequate. For the larger kits, everything from V-8 car engines to light aircraft engines have been repurposed. An 8- or 10-horsepower motor propelling a small airboat and a 170-pound operator at around 25 miles per hour typically consumes approximately one gallon every two hours. Consumption is, of course, affected by conditions; calm, shallow water is best for airboats.
Propellers
Propellers, almost always referred to by the contraction ̶0;props,̶1; are seldom delivered as part of a kit. Brand new props are expensive, but entirely serviceable used units can often be found at swap meets frequented by aircraft enthusiasts and at the repair shops usually found around airports. For the more advanced builder, specialist companies exist that will manufacture props to specification. Props typically measure between 36 and 42 inches.