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Airboats in the Gulf??

J

JSlick

Well-known member
Someone told me that they took their airboat out into the gulf of mexico out of Louisiana...I was under the impression that you could not do this.. what is the law or is there one on such,,,,just curious
 
I do not know the law in LA but the reason most people don't take Airboat's out in the Ocean is for Safty reasons Airboat's don't do well in rough water but they were not designed for that either.
 
There's no law, but remember there is no flotation either. We used to go scalloping and fishing in the gulf on our airboat---we didn't go out very far, watched the weather close, and always had creek or somewhere to get to fast for protection. The type and size and design of your boat also is important to consider. 8)

Harvey
 
Trust me mine is not going into the gulf, I was just curious about the legal side of it, thought it fell under the coast guard rules and someone told me that you could not have them out there, just wondering.
 
just the law of common sense. I try to never go over two or three miles and watch the weather like a hawk. If the boat doesn't start you are in big trouble very quickly. If you have never rode waves before it can be an interesting day if the wind kicks up a little. the worst case scenario is when the storm blows off the shore towards you your options are very limited at that point ... can you say "hang ten" because you will be surfing and crashing waves. be steady and pay attention to the amount of power you use and the speed you attempt to run an dthings should work out. This is the time to go ahead and put on your PFD in case you had it off trying for an even tan line. Keep everyone in the seats and tie down all the coolers, fasten the hatches and if you are religous you know hat else is in order because you shoulda seen the storm coming and left sooner.

I would say for most folks riding in the gulf is a bad idea unless you stay right along the shore and can pull up on it and get off again after the storm passes. pick your day carefully. but that is just me.
 
How about the Boca Grande/Placida area? I took my boat down there about two years ago and ran all weekend around Catfish Creek, Turtle Bay and Bull Bay. Airboat restrictions never crossed my mind and it was a fun trip. I would love to do it again but I'm not sure if there are restrictions in place or not.
 
GTO's saltwater fishing tournament is a blast. They had it at Waccasassa one year and then Cedar Key the last several years. They use good judgement on the weather (It has been rescheduled because of weather). I'd guess 'bout a hundred boats entered---don't know of one ever going down. Then---scalloping in the flats near Steinhatchee is as much fun as I've ever had on my airboat. We protected the engine with Amsoil metal protector then washed everything afterward with Salt Terminator cleaner and corrosion inhibitor. The only corrosion I ever had was on the zinc annode on the hull. I just can't put my new boat in salt water and oyster bars, but that sure was fun. I'd do it again,but let's take your boat. lol :lol:

Harvey
 
Airboatin off of Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach on the Gulf is a lot of fun .... you're in salt flats for about 4 - 5 miles out, with a water depth of around 6 to 8 feet, and the fishin is excellent. There is a sandbar off Keaton (around 2 miles off shore) that is a very good place for bait casting.

Saltwater will eat up your boat though. Wash it down every afternoon after you come in.
 
You guys need to remeber the boats running in the gulf are designed completely different than what you guys are used to here in Florida.

Dont get me wrong, airboats are designed for inland water ways.
When crossing deep rough water you better have a boat with Deep sides and a deep transom.

Most boats designed for that terrain have 30" Deep Sides, 25" Deep Transom, 7 heavy duty t-bars. 2x2x3/8 not 1/4.
Most of the ones we build are 18 to 24ft. It's alot different than what you guys are used too.

P.S. Some of them do have floatation.
 
Yeah my boat is 18ft with 30" sides and transom and 9 t-bars but you won't see me out there, had it in some 4'+ rollers on Lake Texoma a couple of years ago and that's as close as I want to get to ruff water.
 
Faron, have you ever used airbags for flotation? You can add them in, or take them out as conditions warrant.
 
Ive never had a airboat on the gulf but ive been out on lake okeechobee and got caught in some summer storms trying to get back to the ramp ,when that lake kicks up you'd think you were out in the ocean...lol...when i finally got to the ramp a couple guy's told me man you looked like a offshore boat coming off the top of those waves we seen the bottom of your hull more times then we could count...
 
jdotson. I run the south end of Charlotte harbor and Matlacha all the time. There are no restrictions in that area in regards to Airboats.
 
It wasn't the gulf, but years back Bob Hopwood took his airboat from Miami to Freeport in the Bahamas as a publicity stunt for his airboat business. Whats that about 60 miles?

Scotty
 
I believe that this is the boat that made the crossing.

Web_wayne_s_boat.jpg
 
Cowboy, that wasn't the boat the Wayne Cone made his trip to Bimini on, it was one he built as kind of a replica. The boat he used was an aluminum fulldeck with 3 rudders and a 540, although he put a 65hp continental for the trip for fuel economy. The boat in that pic is a fiberglass stephull that is decked over with a groundpower.

This is the boat he used to cross, notice the dual control setup also.
42000Airboat_Show007.jpg

42000airboat_show008a.jpg



Larry
 
I think somebody needs to do it again, as a tribute.
Might just try it one of these days ..... what the hell.

What if, say three boats were to get together for a run like that? A safety factor Mr. Cone didn't have, granted, but what a fun trip 8) .
 
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