Several years ago I purchased a small "backyard built" airboat. It was a 14 foot alum. jon boat with a Chevy Corvair engine. It wasn't very fast but it was fun. I am now considering buying a larger airboat; 16-20 feet with a 350 or larger belt reduction Chevy. I would be using it in West Galveston Bay, Texas. The average water dept is between 4 and 12 feet. Also, during the summer there are many power boats (and their wake) in this bay. Is it a bad idea for me to consider using an airboat in this area unless I was satisfied with only running along the shoreline (to get shallow water and avoid the wake of power boats)? Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Bad idea?
- Thread starter Bayfront
- Start date
a1mudpuppy
Well-known member
Unless you plan on running the shore all the time I would stay with a deck boat or a pontoon boat. 4'-12' deep is more for boats and not an airboat.
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
a1mudpuppy":1n4y9ulf said:
I would have to agree with a1mudpuppy. You have the Galveston Ship Channel and the GIWW (Gulf Intracoastal WaterWay) both fairly close. Those big freighters can throw swell that are fun in a good bay boat but damn scarey in the a airdrive. Remember there is no floatation in airboats and the speed they crash drive makes US Navy submariners jealous. Even with running the shore, an 18 footer would be the minimum I would consider and a 350 might be a bit under powered. If you want both, look at some of these flats boats or bay boats. They can take the waves, deep water, and run in 8 inches of water looking for redfish.
With that said, I have launched on the Bolivar (at Stingaree launch) quite a few times and crossed the GIWW and ran the islands along East Bay up to Frozen Point. You will piss off every wade fisherman there, because they all expect you to avoid them and head out into deep water of the Bay. But if there is a wind, they are fishin the lee side of the islands in less than 3 feet of water and that is where I will be staying while I am running. But they don't own the bay and I am not running that Lycoming in water with a 3 foot chop that would cover the motor if we sank. So we try to hug the shoreline, and that can almost double you driving distance. But our boat resembles the Game Wardens and most don't say to much -LOL.
Beware of those pleasure cruisers and tugs with no tows. When they are running that wake can be 3 to 5 feet tall, with a crest on top and several more following. We run like hell from them. Heck we even had the Coast Guard almost sink us. About 9 inches of water in the hull when we beached her. That crew sure was big eyed.