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Hammant and WaterThunder team up on new Mini airboat!

Waterthunder

Waterthunder

Well-known member
WaterThunder has been working with Hammant on building some mini boats. We would love to get some input from Southern Airboat members. So we actually build a boat SA members and fellow airboaters want. I prefer the way Hammant hulls perform and how free they run in the water so I decided to go with them on this project. I do know to some members the 6cly boat will not technically be a mini. To be honest were more or less trying to build a small affordable boat that performs great and is extremely fuel efficient that will actually run dry with two people. We want do this and still keep the boat very affordable and not need a gearbox. I have been saying for years many manufactures have gone to the big profitable boats and no longer build an airboat for the average sportsman or airboater. We have decided to build two types of boats, one we will call a mini this boat will be 10'X6'5''ft with a single seat. The engine will be a fuel injected 4 cylinder. Then the larger two seater boat will be 11'X7' and utilize a 6 cylinder engine, we expect this boat to perform as well or better then a Lycoming 150. This motor will make between 150HP and 160HP @ 3,200RPM's this motor will also be fuel injected. I will not go into detail on my engine package but they will be fuel injected and will not need a gearbox along with offering great fuel economy without the expense of a gearbox! Any input to help us build a boat customers actually want will be greatly appreciated!
 
I think she will be a heck of a runner while sipping gas. Hamant is building 2 different hulls specifically for these motors and this application. The first 6cyl two seater one will be going to Georgia and the 4 cyl single seat will be a demo that we will start ridding at the meets. I'm really excited about the fuel system I'm shocked with the performance and fuel economy I'm getting with this system. I have been riding with my harrow band and just keep tweaking my A/F ratios for cruising and man the fuel economy keeps on improving!
 
WELL THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO WADE AND DOUG BUILD THE BEST WELDED HULLS AROUND,SO IT SHOULD BE A NICE RUNNING BOAT.PLUS THE MOTORS SOUND SWEAT.
 
I like the idea of a 4.3 V-6 direct drive, fuel injected and easy on the gas. I need tall sides for the deep water but I'm anxious to see how it turns out. I want to keep my Q too. Mid, mini, whatever. The word should be affordable.
 
It would be nice to have some pictures with this . It seem like we hear alot about new project but never a finished one. I don't think it a mini if it's running a aircraft engine.
 
if you build it they well come, theres a real market for boats like your talking about, thats what ive been doing the last month is trying to end up with a 4cyl 11x7 pakage for my self , but its got to run ground will have the motor converted in a few weeks and thinking off fi seem to be the way to use fuel wisely
 
well i can tell you Guy's there not going to have Aircraft engines per say and their not
going to be V6's either but these engines have been used in Aircraft a lot so this ought to get you scratching your heads
 
I READ THAT GM BUILDING A 2.3 OR A 2 .8 THAT NEW BEEN OUT FOR A WHILE ! EX PLANES BEEN BUYING THEM !THEY ARE CALLED ECOS :D
 
I saw somewhere that they are using the old 3 cyl. geo metro engines for a power plant on the minis w/ good results and they run forever
 
I tried the 3 cylinder Geo engine and they are not going to last forever. They make a good little engine and on a very small boat it might be the ticket. Like most car motors, they don't hold up as long when they are run at the higher rpms.
 
yeah but those little foreign motors run at higher rpms that the way they set em up so they can make the horsepower they do .
 
We need an airboat under 10,000 that can run dry and gets great gas mileage and is stable in deep water , something that handles very well and is forgiving as this is an entry level boat for many of us , and put outlets , plugins for accessories like q beam for frogging and such and give it the traditional airboat seating not the seats hidden down low in the boat like so many mini builders are doing , make it look like the big boys only smaller version , and sell me the first one for half price as a demo and I'll run the mess out of it in the swamp down here in louisiana, :roll:
 
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