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Foot Steering, or Hand Steering?
- Thread starter cowboy
- Start date
A
Anonymous
Guest
i have never seen something like that before!!!
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
Hmmm - That is different, he must be a pilot or just likes to play.
I don't think I have the coordination in my feet to run the throttle and gas at the same time.
pat
I don't think I have the coordination in my feet to run the throttle and gas at the same time.
pat
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
That's an approach I've not seen before.
However, several hunting airboaters that frequent the Kissimmee Marsh have adapted a foot lever to their non cable - bell crank steering systems.
Bobby Jones, Jr. (Predator airboat hulls) of Haines City, FL has developed a foot lever steering adapter to his regular steering stick. The lever rides in his boot heel notch and he is every bit as good driving with his foot as he is with his one good arm.
However, several hunting airboaters that frequent the Kissimmee Marsh have adapted a foot lever to their non cable - bell crank steering systems.
Bobby Jones, Jr. (Predator airboat hulls) of Haines City, FL has developed a foot lever steering adapter to his regular steering stick. The lever rides in his boot heel notch and he is every bit as good driving with his foot as he is with his one good arm.
harvey
Well-known member
Every time I see a foot steer I just can't help but think of poaching (not eggs). No offense to anyone who has one. I can think of a lot of advantages of foot steer. You could --- eat and drink while riding, apply sunscreen,wave at friends(with both hands),play airboat paintball,take photos,play a fiddle, the possibilities are endess.
Happy Trails,
Harvey :lol:
Happy Trails,
Harvey :lol:
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
Harvey - A friend of mine who is a retired game warden told me the same thing when he saw that foot steering picture. "That's for poaching."
It would make eating or photo taking easier. But that fiddle playing that would be worth paying to see that.
It would make eating or photo taking easier. But that fiddle playing that would be worth paying to see that.
A
Anonymous
Guest
most people use it for hunting but it is illegal to shoot game form a moving boat
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
As one who is addicted to frogging and shooting photos, I see that contraption as a terrific aid to those pursuits.
Some will also say that carrying a cooler on an airboat is prima face evidence of DUI.
There are legitimate and illigitimate uses for many things.
Some will also say that carrying a cooler on an airboat is prima face evidence of DUI.
There are legitimate and illigitimate uses for many things.
harvey
Well-known member
It looks like foot steering could be dangerous---I mean if your foot slipped off the pedal. I'm not to old to remember my foot slipping off a bicycle pedal. The same applies to both--- you could really bust your nutz. I'll have to go with hand steering, but I do think the foot setup is cool.
You guys are ganging up on Cowboy too much, so I voted for foot steering. Innovation is how we learn. Think of the very first airboat.
I like the way all of the cables and linkage are tucked inside the structure.
The pedals in an airplane not only control the rudder, but also differential braking.
Jim
I like the way all of the cables and linkage are tucked inside the structure.
The pedals in an airplane not only control the rudder, but also differential braking.
Jim
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
Cowboy - Nah, the fellow I know just was always impressed at what those cajuns in Louisiana would come up with when it came to hunting or getting around in the marsh. Both Legal or rule bending. He always claimed if someone would have shown them pictures of better hunting on the moon than there was in Louisiana, those Cajuns would have beat NASA to developing space flight.
But I would have to pass on that set up. It is just that I can barely chew gum and walk, that steering might take some getting used to.
Someone was thinking with that rig with the foot steering. I do see lots of benefits. Especially when you hit that bump in the marsh you were not expecting. You could use both hands to keep you firmly in the seat.
But I would have to pass on that set up. It is just that I can barely chew gum and walk, that steering might take some getting used to.
Someone was thinking with that rig with the foot steering. I do see lots of benefits. Especially when you hit that bump in the marsh you were not expecting. You could use both hands to keep you firmly in the seat.
cowboy
Moderator
I'm not feeling ganged up on, and I expected hand steering to win the poll by a huge margin.
I can't take credit for developing this steering system, as it has been around down here for decades.
Foot steering was developed by hard core airboaters in the seventies, mostly for frogging. Back then the frog shutes were loaded by hand, so it could be tough to pull meat off of the gig your holding, and still steer towards the next frog your looking at. Thats what I think.
It could be that the pop-tops back then were tougher to pull one handed, especially the seventh one at night.
It's alot easier to use than you might think, and as mentioned above, when the going gets rough, it allows you to really hang on.
I'd like to know who rigged thier boat this way first.
I can't take credit for developing this steering system, as it has been around down here for decades.
Foot steering was developed by hard core airboaters in the seventies, mostly for frogging. Back then the frog shutes were loaded by hand, so it could be tough to pull meat off of the gig your holding, and still steer towards the next frog your looking at. Thats what I think.
It could be that the pop-tops back then were tougher to pull one handed, especially the seventh one at night.
It's alot easier to use than you might think, and as mentioned above, when the going gets rough, it allows you to really hang on.
I'd like to know who rigged thier boat this way first.
A
Anonymous
Guest
foot steer comes from racing boats where you use both hands to HANG ON.
I guess it would be great for poaching, but it would be just as useful for frogging as it would for poaching
I guess it would be great for poaching, but it would be just as useful for frogging as it would for poaching
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
Cowboy and Cracker,
Like the way you both think, gueass that makes me a poacher in the making.
I have never seen the pedals as shown in the pic, but have tried to use a foot loop on the hand stick for a long time. Works great for slight variations, but not to turn. One man froggers need to turn, pull frogs off the gig and other multi tasking stuff. Not to mention keeping the ABC upright and functioning.
Bobby Jones, Jr. loves to frog, to hunt and to airboat. His father developed the Cottonmouth hull and he developed the Predator. Hard to frog gig with one arm.
His invention is parallel to the foot stand and does not reach the front edge, where sometimes folks ride. It works for him and for many others. This foot stick is in addition to the normal steering stick.
Cone to think of it, I've never seen a steering stick poach anything. But, please clue me in. I had always heard poachers used long distance lead poisoning for their dirty deeds. Shame on them. Law abiding folks should not be restricted from innovation because a very small minority are scofflaws.
Like the way you both think, gueass that makes me a poacher in the making.
I have never seen the pedals as shown in the pic, but have tried to use a foot loop on the hand stick for a long time. Works great for slight variations, but not to turn. One man froggers need to turn, pull frogs off the gig and other multi tasking stuff. Not to mention keeping the ABC upright and functioning.
Bobby Jones, Jr. loves to frog, to hunt and to airboat. His father developed the Cottonmouth hull and he developed the Predator. Hard to frog gig with one arm.
His invention is parallel to the foot stand and does not reach the front edge, where sometimes folks ride. It works for him and for many others. This foot stick is in addition to the normal steering stick.
Cone to think of it, I've never seen a steering stick poach anything. But, please clue me in. I had always heard poachers used long distance lead poisoning for their dirty deeds. Shame on them. Law abiding folks should not be restricted from innovation because a very small minority are scofflaws.
cowboy
Moderator
I agree Bigdaddy,
We had a hand steer boat that we installed a foldable motorcycle peg on the side of the arm.
It could be used to aim the boat towards the next frog, while throwing one down the chute. This is before everybody had a rake mounted shute.
We wound up using it quite a bit.
Temporary foot steering is very usefull, and the type rigging arangement you describe above is part of what makes airboating great. Almost any boat you look at will have some small inovation that you may, or may not have thought about trying, if you look hard enough to find it.
Most folks are pretty cool, and will happily explain thier ideas with anyone.
Reddwarf,
Sounds like you've got foot steering on your race boat.
You should race right out, and poach yourself another poodle.
Don't forget to HANG ON.
We had a hand steer boat that we installed a foldable motorcycle peg on the side of the arm.
It could be used to aim the boat towards the next frog, while throwing one down the chute. This is before everybody had a rake mounted shute.
We wound up using it quite a bit.
Temporary foot steering is very usefull, and the type rigging arangement you describe above is part of what makes airboating great. Almost any boat you look at will have some small inovation that you may, or may not have thought about trying, if you look hard enough to find it.
Most folks are pretty cool, and will happily explain thier ideas with anyone.
Reddwarf,
Sounds like you've got foot steering on your race boat.
You should race right out, and poach yourself another poodle.
Don't forget to HANG ON.
I am amazed at the passionate debate sparked by a photograph of my airboat. Not that I feel my brother "Cowboy" needs defending, but I did register in order to vote and speak on behalf of foot steered airboats. The boat in the photo exibits most, if not all, of the traits of the classic "Palm Beach" style airboat on a small scale. The classic "Palm Beach" style boat as I know it is a low profile aluminum hull usually semi or completely decked over. The seating position is tandam, and the position is high for better vision in tall grass. The driver is in front and the steering and throttle positions are controled by the feet. The rake is typicaly constructed from minimal diamiter tubing and is of sufficient size and shape to be effective in layng down tall grass without breaking it off. Some employ partial sheeting down low to limit the amount of inevitable vegitation ending up in the boat or sliding down the deck towards the propeller. The limited flat srface of the hull bottom makes the boat a winner on the dry. This smaller contact patch on the ground takes a bit of the power to weight issue out of the picture and makes any extra power an even bigger bonus. I've read many entries on this page regarding these type boats and I am in the camp that consider these the best all around performers.
Cowboy and I have been blessed to have grown up on and around airboats. We hunt, we fish, and we frog. We respect nature and enjoy seeing it from the seat stand of an airboat. We value our property and respect the property of others. We're patriots and politicians. We break things and then we fix them. All of these lessons we learned from our experiences on the seas and in the marsh. I am excited to see the same enthusiasm in the eyes of my nephew and hope that he will feel the same as he grows older.
So no matter if it's your feet or your hands that giude you, get out there. Take your children and grand children and enjoy the places you explore on your boat while you still can. Airboats and airboating are an important part of American and Florida history. There are still places here that only an airbaot will get you to. Let's hope it stays that way.
Now, will someone help me down off this soap box? Little help? Little help here?
Ps
Foot steering RULES!!!
Cowboy and I have been blessed to have grown up on and around airboats. We hunt, we fish, and we frog. We respect nature and enjoy seeing it from the seat stand of an airboat. We value our property and respect the property of others. We're patriots and politicians. We break things and then we fix them. All of these lessons we learned from our experiences on the seas and in the marsh. I am excited to see the same enthusiasm in the eyes of my nephew and hope that he will feel the same as he grows older.
So no matter if it's your feet or your hands that giude you, get out there. Take your children and grand children and enjoy the places you explore on your boat while you still can. Airboats and airboating are an important part of American and Florida history. There are still places here that only an airbaot will get you to. Let's hope it stays that way.
Now, will someone help me down off this soap box? Little help? Little help here?
Ps
Foot steering RULES!!!
Foot steering is great for hunting and yes of course poaching. It is a little harder to run and you don't see it up here (Cocoa area) near as much as you see it down south. Wayne Watson of WWW airboats has built plenty of them as I am sure Billy Kline and the rest of the Palm Beach crowd. I guess it is all in what you like. I learned to run a boat using foot steering and would much rather have one. Unfortunately I use my boat for rides and gator hunting and I need the seat up front.