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The perfect hull

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Hydroflight

Active member
I am starting to build my second airboat after 28 years. I am a little more than out of touch with the mainstream of airboating, being in the Portland, Oregon area. I was hoping you fine gentlemen could help me determine the perfect hull for the new airboat. Here are my plans to date. I plan on powering the boat with a 220 GPU and 72 inch two blade composite prop. My thoughts are to rig the boat for three people with front drivers seat and a double rear seat. The boat will need to be able to run deep water with 3 foot swells and run dry ground. Over time it will hit everything from rocks to tree stumps. It will need to turn very tight to avoid river rock and floating dead heads. I believe if anybody knows of such a hull it will be you guys. I look forward to your expert advice.
 
There is no perfect hull. All hulls are built for a specific kind of running and use. This means there will be compromises if its to be used for more than one kind of terrain.

We have several members who run rivers with rocks and tight turns. Your asking for a whole different thing than a florida sport boat. You will likely need something more than a GPU for it as well.

In my mind you are talking about a 16 foot or more, metal boat, with poly on the bottom and a specially built V8 auto engine with either a belt or gear reduction drive and a big carbon fiver prop.

Let guys who run your kind of terrain chime in and see what they advise, but I think your sights are a bit under what will do the job your asking it to do.

Scotty :wink:
 
First thing I thought of is, finding a hull that can handle
3' swells without a problem may require more than a
220 to push it across dry ground.
 
MJD291

Do you know of any Hammants running the terrain and waters dscribed by
Hydroflight? If so please referr Hydroflight to them.

Scotty :wink:
 
JUST THROWING MY 2 CENTS IN. I TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIAS TOWARDS A/C MOTORS AND HAMMANT HULLS.
 
I have run 3 and 4 ft swells but there is a pucker factor involved. You have to approach each wave and get over it as best you can. Not something I care to do again
 
Hydroflight, This is my boat, for the most part what you described. GPU220, 72" Terminator, 13'6"Aluminum Classic (Panther) hull. Great starter boat, extremely agile and stable. Runs dry very well. Has 3/8" poly on the bottom.I would not even go near a three foot swell. Be careful with that thought.

Okee_Gator_2007_020.jpg
 
I HAD A 13 FT PANTHER BOAT JUST LIKE THAT WITH A 220 ON IT.I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THAT BOAT FOR ANY ONES STARTER BOAT THE WAY IT LIKED TO ROLL IN THE WATER.AND LIKED TO ROLL IN THE WIND.BIG BOAT THOUGH . I BEEN IN SOME PRETTY SCARY SH!T IN THAT BOAT . HIGH WINDS BIG ROLLING WATER.I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER BOAT THAT A HAMMANT FOR TURNING ON A DIME.IF YOU GOING TO BE HITTING ROCK AND STUMPS AND OTHER STUFF ,ASK THEM TO USE THICKER METAL . BUT IF HE RAN HIS HOMEMADE BOAT OF .090 FOR 28 YEARS,A STANDARD .125 HAMMANT HULL 13' X 7.6 WITH 18" SIDE WOULD DO JUST FINE.AND PROBABLY LAST FOR MANY YEARS. JMO
 
hey air ranger ive got the same boat as you and its a common deal going over the tops of two to three footers. u have to hit them straight on though. i have to run bout two miles of deep water to get to the skinny. there have been no bottom or side problems, however the cage mounting pads have caught hell. ive owned this boat for 12 years and is run in salt water only. all the time ive fished off this girl ive never seen another airboat out , just lots of stuck scooters
 
DSCN2022.JPG


Here's our Dad's 13' Kline deck over Palm Beach style with a 220 GPU. It's kind of a grocery gitter with that 220 but it was rigged for running rivers in KA when it started it's life. Cowboy and I have plans to fit a 300 hp Lycoming or the like on her some day soon.

I've seen this boat run some pretty hair raising water on Lake Okeechobee a time or two but sure tried to avoid it if we could.
 
Honestly. can one keep a deep sided, flat bottom, airboat on top of the water in 3' swells??

I would not try this on a bet. I hear some duck hunters down south running this type water. Scares me just to think about it.
 
done it on lake george many times in a 13 rivermaster with a 300 horse 540. and like was said before there is a pucker factor. especially when the swells end at the ramp your trying to load on. make for some interesting loading.
 
MAN THE WORST SWELLS IVE EVER BEEN IN HAVE BEEN ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE !! IVE BEEN OUT THERE IN THE SUMMER TIME WHEN AFTERNOON STORMS COME ROLLIN IN AND CATCH YA OUT THERE DANG IT SON !! I WAS AT LOCK 7 ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKSHOW AND BADA$$ THUNDERSTORM CAME IN AT DARK AND I HAD TO MAKE IT BACK TO OKEE-TAN-EE BOAT RAMP , HAVING A LIGHT ON WAS USELESS , I CAN REMEBER HITTTIN 3-4 FT SWELLS AND THE BOAT JUMPING OFF THE TOP OF THEM LIKE A OFFSHORE SPORT FISHIN RIG! IT WAS SO BAD I HAD TO SWING OUT ABOUT A MILE TO MAKE THE TURN INTO THE COVE , YOU COULDNT TURN IN WITH THE WAVES BREAKIN
 
I got caught one afternoon up here on the St. Johns by a sudden Summer storm, and the swells were 2-3 ft. Like somebody said earlier
you take them straight across, one at a time, and pay attention. If you try to parallel them you'll probably sink it.

However they're running is your direction to land. Get to land first and then wait for the storm to pass. This is also one of those situations
when you'll be glad you spent the extra money for a good strong engine stand 'cause Man they do hit hard sometimes.
 
Than you gentlemen for sharing your advice with me. Sounds as if all the elements can be overcome with common sense. I would not run 3 foot swells willingly, and if I have to it would be for less than a mile. Thank you AirRanger and Canefan for the pictures. I am curious as to the width of the bottom of the boat and the width at the top. Would a longer hull with seats a littler lower better serve my purpose? Why are the seat placed so high on the southern Airboats?
Thanks Again and good Airboating.
Hydro
 
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