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8' jon boats

B

Butch

Well-known member
im wanting to build a mini airboat off of a 8' jon boat but im lacking he hull i any one selling or know of any company making a cheap 8' hull. :?: :?: :?:
 
Butch, you'll probably have to cut 2' off the transom end of a 10' boat and then rivet it back together ...... not a big job.

The biggest problem you're gonna run in to using a Jon boat is that they have ridges in their bottoms to stiffen them up and make them run true with an outboard.
For airboat use you need a smooth flat bottom so that you have some rudder authority.
Those ridges will make one very sluggish to turn with a small engine.
 
look into Meyers John boats , bass pro was selling them acouple years back online ,these boats are riveted flat bottom boat (not what there selling now)
 
the more i think about it the more i lean towards a building my own plywood hull its cheaper, lighter, tougher, easier to modify and faster.
 
a craftsman 12h.p. with a vert. shaft but would like to but a 2 to 1 redution on it that would give it a horizontal shaft.
 
butch":329z97lw said:
a craftsman 12h.p. with a vert. shaft but would like to but a 2 to 1 redution on it that would give it a horizontal shaft.
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How exactly are you planning on making that 90 degree turn? If you don't mind me asking.
 
itll be easy to do ill use the gear box off of an old bush hog mower because that gear box uses the same reduction and makes that exact 90 degree turn that im loooking for the only thing is it adds abot 40 pounds.
 
butch":d3inp69k said:
itll be easy to do ill use the gear box off of an old bush hog mower because that gear box uses the same reduction and makes that exact 90 degree turn that im loooking for the only thing is it adds abot 40 pounds.
Click to expand...

OK, that's what I'd been thinking of doing. Either that or a 90 degree gear box off the top of a old grain auger. I've got a 20hp kohler vert. shaft local I can have for $200, but I can't decide if I want to fart around chains and sprockets along with the gearbox.
 
You can use the drive they use on a Hovercraft for a vertical shaft engine. Uses a belt drive. Universal Hovercraft model UH-13P uses this drive. Just need a couple extra pulleys and pillow blocks, and 1 inch shaft. Looks simple and won't add much weight.Can make any reduction ratio you want. Just do search for UH-13P and find sites that show construction pictures to see the set-up. Surplus Center has most of the parts you need fairly cheap. Check it out you will see how simple it is to do. Because vertical shaft engines are much cheaper and there's plenty of them out there. Good Luck!
 
I can say from experience they will definatly turn OVER on a dime. We had one a few years ago at our camp in the glades for a trainer model. It had an 8hp briggs on it. It was great for the kids to learn on but very unstable. Try to get a wide one would be my advice.
 
THAT A GREAT IDEA FOR THAT SET UP. BUT I WOULD THINK YOU WOUD NEED A LITTLE LARGER SHAFT. HOW WOULD YOU MOUNT THE PROP. DOES SOME MAKE A FLANGE OR WOULD YOU HAVE TO MACHINE ONE AND PUT A KEYWAY ON IT
 
Regarding shaft size,use a 1 inch go kart axle. Hardened steel really hard to bend one of those. Have to use a chop saw to cut. Would work fine in my opinion.
 
THANKS FOR THE INFO ALL THIS TALK BOUT MINIES HAS GOT ME THINKIN. I HAVE A 25 HORSE KOHLER WITH VET SHAFT MABEY ILL DO SOMETING WITH IT NOW
 
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