-
If you log in, the ads disappear in the forum and gallery. If you need help logging in or getting registered, send request to: webmaster@southernairboat.com
anyone seen an airboat with a new gm turbo diesel
- Thread starter c chardt
- Start date
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
I think both American and Mark's built boats with diesels. Have seen pictures from South American of diesel powered boats. Never seen them in person.
Would be an interesting boat. Not sure how it would run, those diesels have some weight.
Would be an interesting boat. Not sure how it would run, those diesels have some weight.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Around 15 years ago, I saw a 20'x9' airboat powered with a 3208 Cat 260 hp at Marshland Marine in Baytown, TX. The boat was going to South America to an oil company. He also had a radial engine sitting on his show room floor. Does anyone know of his work? I have only seen his boats driving by his shop or on his website. He seems to build about every kind of airboat except for a rivited one.
Cloninger has a diesel airboat on their website, that they built for UNICEF/UN to go to Sudan.
Diesels are getting lighter and lighter, but their cost are too high. I guess we will be seeing a few in airboats in the future.
Cloninger has a diesel airboat on their website, that they built for UNICEF/UN to go to Sudan.
Diesels are getting lighter and lighter, but their cost are too high. I guess we will be seeing a few in airboats in the future.
cowboy
Moderator
http://www.deltahawkengines.com/
Check these engines.
Diesel
Liquid Cooled
Same weight as a Lycoming 4cyl
Same Power output.
No need for high octaine.
Check these engines.
Diesel
Liquid Cooled
Same weight as a Lycoming 4cyl
Same Power output.
No need for high octaine.
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
I have heard people bad mouth Marsh Lands boats, but don't know why, they just didn't like them.
I wouldn't take a Lycoming to him, that I will say. Nothing bad, just not really impressed back in 1995-96. Maybe they got better, I have learned a little.
However, did run one of his welded 18 X 7.5 (or 8 ) with a 454 and composite power shifts on it, back around 1997. It was a stripped down model with rear drive, 2 passengers in front and 2 low beside the driver. That thing had some power. Ran it for two days, it would walk across heavy marsh grass right beside a sweet 14 foot Panther with a 350. Just had to stomp the throttle hard and it would go.
Only thing I could say was the header clamp came loose on both sides after a few hours of hard running. When that flex pipe slide down and I was hard on the gas with straight headers on a 454, the guys in the Panther thought we blew up.
I wouldn't take a Lycoming to him, that I will say. Nothing bad, just not really impressed back in 1995-96. Maybe they got better, I have learned a little.
However, did run one of his welded 18 X 7.5 (or 8 ) with a 454 and composite power shifts on it, back around 1997. It was a stripped down model with rear drive, 2 passengers in front and 2 low beside the driver. That thing had some power. Ran it for two days, it would walk across heavy marsh grass right beside a sweet 14 foot Panther with a 350. Just had to stomp the throttle hard and it would go.
Only thing I could say was the header clamp came loose on both sides after a few hours of hard running. When that flex pipe slide down and I was hard on the gas with straight headers on a 454, the guys in the Panther thought we blew up.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Cowboy, I saw your post earlier about the Delta Hawk and read about it. It would be nice, but not at $29,500. Did you look at the Hamant deckover[/img]Airboats Inc. - Custom Airboats by Hamant ? It wouldn't perform nearly as well as a Palm Beach hull, but I think it would be a nice boat with 6061-T6 because its anti-corrosive Properties. My camp is 4 miles from the Gulf so I run in saltwater alot. It's not to good for that 7075-T6, but boy is that Kline a blast to run.
Marshmaster Pat, Thanks, I was just curious why I haven't seen any of his boats or heard much about them. Wouldn't it be a treat for some of the guys in Florida to see some of Mark's Airboats. They would be impressed. He builds the best Quality that I have seen in airboats.
Marshmaster Pat, Thanks, I was just curious why I haven't seen any of his boats or heard much about them. Wouldn't it be a treat for some of the guys in Florida to see some of Mark's Airboats. They would be impressed. He builds the best Quality that I have seen in airboats.
cowboy
Moderator
Guest,
I think that the Hamant boats are a good design, and all the ones I have seen run seem to get around real nice. They do well on the water, and seem to move along pretty easy on the dry. I've never operated, or ridden on one, but they look darn good to me.
I could be wrong, but I believe that the Alclad alloy offers superior corrosion protection over the standard 60 series offers. 60 series can also be welded, and is less expensive than alclad. That is why I believe alot of builders are using it to skin thier hulls. I think that the problems you have out there are due to the salt environment. Nothing you can do about that, and I don't see those boats living for 20+ years in the salt. Marshmaster talked aboat some serious anti-corrosion maintanence that he performs on his boats, and I bet thats what it takes to make them last for a decent life span out there.
As far as the deltahawks go, there is no way I'd dump 30k into a brand new airwothy crate engine for an airboat, but this engine appears that it might make it into production. If I had a plane to re-power, I think I would have to give it serious consideration. Piston aircraft engine tech has been stagnated for decades, and this is one of the few that are striving to break new ground with what I see as a viable new design. How many that would be built remains to be seen, as they are in for a long up-hill struggle, but I hope they make it.
They also indicate that they have plans for an industrial version of that power plant. This version would probably be dramaticaly cheaper than a certified engine for many justifiable reasons, but would still offer the same performance of the airworthy units.
All I am saying that I like thier concept, and I would like to see this design make it, and perhaps trickle down to airboat applications like gas burning aircraft engine have already done.
That would probably take quite some time, so I'm not holding my breath.
I do think that this engine could be a better powerplant for an airboat than the current gas burning aircraft engines, for the same reasons that a plane owner might want one.
I think that the Hamant boats are a good design, and all the ones I have seen run seem to get around real nice. They do well on the water, and seem to move along pretty easy on the dry. I've never operated, or ridden on one, but they look darn good to me.
I could be wrong, but I believe that the Alclad alloy offers superior corrosion protection over the standard 60 series offers. 60 series can also be welded, and is less expensive than alclad. That is why I believe alot of builders are using it to skin thier hulls. I think that the problems you have out there are due to the salt environment. Nothing you can do about that, and I don't see those boats living for 20+ years in the salt. Marshmaster talked aboat some serious anti-corrosion maintanence that he performs on his boats, and I bet thats what it takes to make them last for a decent life span out there.
As far as the deltahawks go, there is no way I'd dump 30k into a brand new airwothy crate engine for an airboat, but this engine appears that it might make it into production. If I had a plane to re-power, I think I would have to give it serious consideration. Piston aircraft engine tech has been stagnated for decades, and this is one of the few that are striving to break new ground with what I see as a viable new design. How many that would be built remains to be seen, as they are in for a long up-hill struggle, but I hope they make it.
They also indicate that they have plans for an industrial version of that power plant. This version would probably be dramaticaly cheaper than a certified engine for many justifiable reasons, but would still offer the same performance of the airworthy units.
All I am saying that I like thier concept, and I would like to see this design make it, and perhaps trickle down to airboat applications like gas burning aircraft engine have already done.
That would probably take quite some time, so I'm not holding my breath.
I do think that this engine could be a better powerplant for an airboat than the current gas burning aircraft engines, for the same reasons that a plane owner might want one.
A
Anonymous
Guest
Cowboy, Yes, I agree.