speeddemon13
Member
I want to make an airboat but I dont know what parts I need and where to weld and where to put stuff. Does anyone have pictures up close of where to weld and things like that? Like a diagram or anything?
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Making an airboat?
- Thread starter speeddemon13
- Start date
Airboatcapt2
Well-known member
Thats a big job to take on, I would reccommend buying an older used one and rerig it. This would atleast give you an idea of what goes where. It would also be much less money out of pocket .
Most of the builders dont have any drawing to share but you can find tons of pictures on this website that should help.
Most of the builders dont have any drawing to share but you can find tons of pictures on this website that should help.
speeddemon13
Member
well my friend has an airplane engine with just the engine and a propeller and a trailer. He also has a boat to put it on, and he said he would give us both, so i have to restore the engine and then find out how to mount it on there. the engine has an L on it does that mean its lycoming?
blackpowderscout
Well-known member
What city are you near??? That might help find someone who could help you.
Adam
Adam
Ron Miller
Well-known member
Speed 13 you have to remember that their is a lot of power turning that prop that moves your boat forward and you do not want it breaking loose just when you are starting to have fun.. ( Or any time for that matter) Because you are setting right in front of that power and spinning prop. It will go with the point of least resistance...... Do not take me wrong a lot of build their own boats but as said earlier things have to be done correctly to avoid major problems.... use the search link above and serf the Pictures and wallpaper for a lot of good pictures.....
WELCOME TO S/A the greatest place for personal opinion's....
WELCOME TO S/A the greatest place for personal opinion's....
The more facinated you are by the subject the better you'll study the design.
If it were me, I would vist every builder and/or view every boat I could find. bring a pad of paper, pencle, and a camera: take pictures, make notes and sketches, paying careful attention to the details of how the engine is mounted, how the riging made and secured to the striingers and so on. At first they'll all look the same and maby even confuseing, but as you study them you'll start to see the diffrences in design as well as the similarities found in most all boats.
Before you go snooping around somebodys buisness or yard, go and talk to them, tell them what you'd like to do. Chances are they'll go out of their way to help you, especially the commercial builders who might see a chance to sell you some pre-fab rigging.
I can completely understand the desire and necessity in building it yourself, however that may not be practicle: as a suggestion, there are quite a few builders that will sell you rigging and engine stands with as much or little built as you desire or can afford.
At the very least (unless you're a competent metal fabricator) I would buy a ready built engine stand, especially if you've got a Lycoming Aircraft engine.
BTW: you mentioned a prop with the engine: did it come off the airplane? If so, it's proabably a "tractor" type and won't push air out the back. The up side to this is AC props are very expensive and you could proabable sell it for enough to buy a decient new prop.
If it were me, I would vist every builder and/or view every boat I could find. bring a pad of paper, pencle, and a camera: take pictures, make notes and sketches, paying careful attention to the details of how the engine is mounted, how the riging made and secured to the striingers and so on. At first they'll all look the same and maby even confuseing, but as you study them you'll start to see the diffrences in design as well as the similarities found in most all boats.
Before you go snooping around somebodys buisness or yard, go and talk to them, tell them what you'd like to do. Chances are they'll go out of their way to help you, especially the commercial builders who might see a chance to sell you some pre-fab rigging.
I can completely understand the desire and necessity in building it yourself, however that may not be practicle: as a suggestion, there are quite a few builders that will sell you rigging and engine stands with as much or little built as you desire or can afford.
At the very least (unless you're a competent metal fabricator) I would buy a ready built engine stand, especially if you've got a Lycoming Aircraft engine.
BTW: you mentioned a prop with the engine: did it come off the airplane? If so, it's proabably a "tractor" type and won't push air out the back. The up side to this is AC props are very expensive and you could proabable sell it for enough to buy a decient new prop.
speeddemon13
Member
I am in South Texas around Corpus Christi, and I havent seen any places around here that do Airboats and I dont know anyone that good that has one to take pictures of. My dad has a friend that works at South Bay Hunting Club and we rode his with a 454 and thats what got me into wanting one. What is the riging? what is it used for and what does it do
I don't know how far away these people are, but here's a link anyways:
http://www.americanairboats.com/why-air.htm
http://www.marshlandmarine.com/
http://www.airboatsnfish.com/manufacturers.html
Those three are a start.
The "rigging" consists of the engine stand, propeller cage and rudders, plus the seating arrangement. (the metal work that makes up the boat)
This is a good place to look at used boats....might even find something ready to use with your engine and hull.
http://www.airboattrader.com/
http://www.americanairboats.com/why-air.htm
http://www.marshlandmarine.com/
http://www.airboatsnfish.com/manufacturers.html
Those three are a start.
The "rigging" consists of the engine stand, propeller cage and rudders, plus the seating arrangement. (the metal work that makes up the boat)
This is a good place to look at used boats....might even find something ready to use with your engine and hull.
http://www.airboattrader.com/
Raizincane
Well-known member
for the right motor Iwill trade a turn key boat with a 220 gpu aluminum 3/4 deckover that will run dry ground 
eople say all day long but thats up to you.....
eople say all day long but thats up to you.....
FrogNutz
Well-known member
Good luck with this project. You'll surely have alot of fun and learn a great deal about airboats along the way. But, atleast for this first one, have a professional build your engine stand. When your running across rough terrain with a 72" propeller spinning right behind your head you don't want to find out that your welds didn't penetrate as well as you thought. I don't think that I've ever seen two airboats that were rigged exactly the same, so take your time and put alot of thought into it. Good luck,
Cajun
Well-known member
Well I am a fabricator,and a self taught machinest. I can build some really nice hog traps, trailers,traps for any kind of reptiles,furbearers,and some birds,lots of showroom type hunting equipment, BUT,and I repeat, BUT, I haven't taken on building my own rigging. I leave that to the folks that know and have proven that theirs hold up under pressure. I might add something to it after the fact, but it does take some decent knowledge to put one of those together for stability and safety. I agree with the other post above.If you build your own don't try anything new or different, and donot cut any corners. Good luck, and keep us posted. Cajun