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FWC Adds New Regs for Airboats

rick

rick

Administrator
Stealthy airboats? Probably not.
By Chris Christian

It’s doubtful that any watercraft has become more synonymous with Florida than the airboat. They have been the “transport du jour� into some of the state’s wilder regions for years, and are a major asset for law enforcement officers, aquatic weed control technicians, biological researchers, and search and rescue personnel; not to mention....

Here's the rest: http://www.floridasportsman.com/boating/051272/
 
Rick, Mr. Christian will get a letter and a phone call from me tomorrow.
He's typical of so many writers today, who, once handed a lap top believe they have also somehow been impuned with divine wisdom, and license to write whatever Crap comes to mind.

I'll tell him OUR side of the story ....

BF
 
Once again we have an under informed journalist telling the public about our" NOISE" I know I personally love the "SOUND" of my boat.
 
Breaking the speed of sound with an airboat prop?!

Get a clue Mr. Christian, the pressure would be so great that the cage would be deformed. Geez I hate it when people grasp at straws that can't be backed up by facts. A dime's worth of research will show you that a normal prop will not withstand supersonic speeds. Go back to New Jersey.
 
wow! and i thought 90db at 50 feet was all watercraft not just airboats i guess i just read the law wrong or maybe i am not as edumacated as this man.oh and by the way mr journalist spend some time on the gulf of mexico cause i have had some fish and shrimp boats make my airboat seem quiet.
 
Perhaps he needs an invitation to the FAA meeting.
He can see the pro-active efforts of the airboating clubs to get the word out on the muffler requirements, and resposible operation through the code of ethics.

Then he can go for a ride, and see for him self that responsibly operated airboats are only run full blast 0.5% of the time, or less.

Then he can go and write a follow up piece. We all know how big that mags circulation is!

He might even like airboats so much, he'll want one after the ride. Ya never know.

I'll volunteer to buy the red carpet for Cntry's boat!
 
Cowboy, I'm going to do just that .... invite him for the 4th. If my boat's runnin, I'll be happy to haul him. If not, I know one of y'all wouldn't mind takin him for a little ride. I'll try to reach him by phone in a few minutes.

K.
 
Noise, noise, noise. When are people going to learn? I know when I was staying at my moms, she lives close to the airport, the huge jets would drive me crazy but I lived with it. I finally stopped dwelling on it and did not hear it anymore. Another thing, at night I could hear those little planes and they sounded just like airboats and it was music to my ears. :lol: Now at my house we live close to the highway. You can hear that all night and day. It drove me crazy for about a week until I stopped dwelling on it. There are better things to worry about than "sound" everywhere. These people need to get a life and do a little research before they write this big huge story that makes them look stupid because they have no idea what they are talking about.
I know something that makes a lot more sound than airboats that I hear alot more and that is those motorcycles. They are allowed to drive on the streets without mufflers and make their sound. Now I love motorcycles and miss ours. But that is just an example of everyday sounds that are around us.
 
Well said, Dakota. I've said before that I believe there are probably a lot of folks out there that complain about the "noise" of the airboats on the water behind their house, that have a Harley in their garage that's runnin straight pipes.

BF
 
Update:
OK y'all, here's what I've been able to do so far. I called Florida Sportsman magazine, and was able to talk to a very nice gentleman by the name of Jeff Weakley, who is the editor. Mr. Christian, who wrote the article, is a contributor to the magazine .... not a staff member.

I explained that I was a Florida airboater, and that I was a little concerned that a few of the things in Mr. Christian's article were not completely accurate. We talked for several minutes, and he asked if I would be willing to send in a 'letter to the editor' which he would be happy to publish as a followup to this article. I will do that. If there is anything that any of you would like for me to specifically address in that letter, please PM me with it and I'll try to include it.

I also told him about the Feb. 4th meeting and the riding that would be going on that weekend, and invited them to join us. He said that he would see to it that someone from the magazine would attend. I'll give him, and all of you, more details when we have them.

BF
 
Dakota you have pointed out some annoying sounds but I have to add a ringing cell phone/nextel after quitting time. It seems that most of my calls start AFTER work. :violent1:
 
You are so right jdotson. I did forget the annoying cell phone rings. Even before quitting time they get annoying!!!
 
Florida Sportsman Magazine
Letter to the Editor
jerry@floridasportsman.com
jeff@floridasportsman.com,

RE: Boating / Airboat article by Chris Christian

VanHorn and Christian have collaborated on articles for quite a number of publications over many years. VanHorn owned a direct drive Cadillac powered 18' Kennedy airboat for several years. It was equipped with flex pipe exhaust and mufflers. He used this boat primarily to scout shallow areas and to fish during winter low tides in the Tarpon Springs and Boca Grande areas.

A DDCadi pushing a big airboat with several adults onboard often has to operate at or near full throttle to get around. All machinery, motor vessels or motorized transportation operated at wide open throttle generates maximum sounds. Most airboats are designed to operate efficiently at half throttle or less.

Allegations that a typical airboat prop breaks the sound barrier is inaccurate. Any time an air prop RPM surpasses 3,000 RPM mark, it is exceeding any air propeller manufacturer's specifications. At propeller rotation speeds of 3,000 or more, the tip approaches the speed of sound and the prop tip creates a sound pitch that is annoying to many folks. Most airboaters keep their prop speed well below the 3,000 rate.

The assertion that a Counter Rotator gear reduction unit is required to significantly reduce airboat sounds is also inaccurate. The use of solid exhaust piping instead of flex pipe offers significant motor sound improvements. Many automotive powered airboats currently run reduction gear units that are ratioed at 2.38 / 1 or deeper, greatly reducing overall sounds by operating with a propeller that spins at notably slower rates.

Airboaters have accepted their craft need to reduce sound levels and many have attacked that challenge with vigor and American ingenuity. Members of Florida Airboat Association volunteered many hours of vessel time for the FFWCC / FAU Airboat Sounds Study and the overwhelming majority of local enthusiast organizations have supported the requirement for all airboats to be equipped with effective engine mufflers.

Hopefully, future FS articles dealing with airboats will more carefully document the steps most enthusiasts are taking to make their vessels more compatible with Florida's unharnessed growth.

Dave Markett
Tampa, FL
 
I believe that if everyone voiced there concerns of misleading articles to the editors of these magazines, in a good way of course. Will make sure the articles are correct when some reporter wants to write something about Airboats or Airboating.
 
I live on a lake that has airboats on it nearly 24\7. Then Just up the road a short ways is the Sebring Intr. Race Way. I here the cars racin around the track all day and hafe the night. There is even an airport there.None of that bothers me. Myself can't stand the sound of a wave runners. and them Sailboats. the noise that thay make. That will getya goin. :D
 
I am with you unclebubba. Those darn conoes are the loudest thing I have heard yet. When those oars hit the water, man it sends chills up my spine. :lol:
 
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