Air-Toon

[pete@airbuoyant.com]

Hi All,

I'm new to this group. I built an Air-Toon, specifically for long-endurance, low-speed, high-buoyancy and designed primarily for flood rescue. I've used it a few times, and it works great, but I'm interested in potentially using it for actual rescues and maybe getting involved with a group that is organized to do that kind of thing, responding to floods. I'm in Central Indiana, so close to a lot of places that flood, but not in my immediate vicinity.

Here's a video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXlifwkcWqA

Any ideas?

Also, I might be interested in building and selling these (one at a time) for anyone wanting them. I'm calling it a "RESQ SQimmer". It uses a Generac engine and produces about 350 lbs thrust, but weighs just 700 lbs. empty. It's got about 3000 lbs of total buoyancy, and only draws about 5 inches of draft. It also has an integrated electric trolling motor. It burns just 1.25 gallons per hour at 75% throttle, goes about 25 kts, and has a 12.5 gallon tank, so 10 hours of high-RPM operation. I probably have $18,000 in it, altogether, for the first one.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Pete

 

[OneBFC]

Honestly looks unsafe to operate, let alone as a rescue machine.

I know you probably worked hard on it, but, that's my take away from that short video.

Is this machine meant to be a superior alternative to a standard airboat design?

If so, can you list what areas it surpasses the traditional methods?

In any case, please put a guard on your prop before something really bad happens.

 

[Rick McC.]

That looks ridiculous...

 

[pete@airbuoyant.com]

Thanks for the feedback.

Honestly, this was a side-project based on stuff I had in my garage. 4, 10-foot pontoons, a powered parachute motor and prop, and some misc. aluminum hardware. I was motivated by the whole flooding thing during Hurricane Harvey, and thought about building something with what I have.

Advantages are possibly greater flotation/weight capacity (not sure about that), and likely endurance, being 10 hours or more on a single tank of gas. Also, it is designed to push a raft to carry other people as well, so you could conceivably move 15 people at a time with a boat that's only 16 feet long.

Agreed on the fan cage. It's basic right now, and it needs sides and a mesh in front, but the prop is pretty far back from where people are, so it's not any immediate danger.

It's a work in progress. Maybe not worth pursuing very far, but it is pretty fun to cruise around in, and it's inexpensive to operate...

Thanks again.