mickey5978
Active member
Any help on how to not find out the hard way the boats abiltiy to run dry?
-
If you log in, the ads disappear in the forum and gallery. If you need help logging in or getting registered, send request to: webmaster@southernairboat.com
What is the best way to test your boats ability to run dry?
- Thread starter mickey5978
- Start date
ccasion5:mickey5978
Active member
If I lived in FL I would in a heartbeat. I live in TX and there isn't exactly a bunch of airboating gurus in my area. There are a few, but I do not know how to get in touch with them. I used to live doen the river from Dean in waco. He has the boat tweety bird. Don't actually know him though. I am putting a sprayer system on my boat with a 25 ft coil type hose. I am predicting I will be stuck sometime. I am always pulling people out of the mud who are stuck in trucks, just don't see too many people when airboating.
i'm pretty sure i have more being stuck than anybody here!!!! lol, thats where i spend most of my time. here are some tricks i know of that have saved me several times:
1) hook up a sprayer system.....squirt diesel. its slicker than owl sh@# on a creosoke post......not legal, but when its late and you're alone you don't care
2) always carry a 4' long section of 3" pvc pipe. if you get stuck shove it as far under your bow as you can....works really well because it'll roll a little and also it lets your boat slide for at least the boat's length allowing you to gain momentum or to spin around and leave the same way you came in
3) walk down the cane, grass or whatever is in front of you.....this is the hard way. one time i had to walk a trail in tall saltgrass for 100 yards to get out.....
lastly, ALWAYS carry a cell phone!!!!
1) hook up a sprayer system.....squirt diesel. its slicker than owl sh@# on a creosoke post......not legal, but when its late and you're alone you don't care
2) always carry a 4' long section of 3" pvc pipe. if you get stuck shove it as far under your bow as you can....works really well because it'll roll a little and also it lets your boat slide for at least the boat's length allowing you to gain momentum or to spin around and leave the same way you came in
3) walk down the cane, grass or whatever is in front of you.....this is the hard way. one time i had to walk a trail in tall saltgrass for 100 yards to get out.....
lastly, ALWAYS carry a cell phone!!!!
Daddy Dave
Well-known member
Nearly every post here deals with one way or another to improve an airboat's performance - and each of those steps, if successful, will help an airboat run dry - better. It is a fairly simple formula. Minimize weight + add power + make the boat bottom slicker + have a grass rake = running dry better.
when i used to get stuck i would use the rudders at full throttle
left then right fast wiggle loose. and always carry a hunk of rope to
tie to the throttle so i could get off the boat and give it gas with the
rope or string working the rudders from the side of the boat. corse
that wouldn't work when wedged between 2 willer trees. he he he had to have a chain saw that time.
now i got me 160 hp light weight aircraft motor and slick bottom and have never been stuck or stuck yet.
left then right fast wiggle loose. and always carry a hunk of rope to
tie to the throttle so i could get off the boat and give it gas with the
rope or string working the rudders from the side of the boat. corse
that wouldn't work when wedged between 2 willer trees. he he he had to have a chain saw that time.
now i got me 160 hp light weight aircraft motor and slick bottom and have never been stuck or stuck yet.
UncleBubba
Well-known member
swampjet I know all to well about gettin stuck inbetween two trees I push the boat back untill I could spin it around. Haven't played follow the leader sents then. Not with my Dad anyway. :shock:
I believe it is stuck yet LOL using the rudders is good and often does the trick however a fast wiggle is not the best method .. I have found that powering up with rudders full one way or the other until the boat starts to move that way and then quickly throw the rudders back the other way until boat once again starts to move .. over and over until it breaks loose. Often spinnin it all the way around in which ever direction it will go is a good choice then just rudder out enough to get it movin instead of spinnin.
The string on the throttle is great I always carried about a 50' piece of masons cord or similar stuff just for that reason. Normally a boat will break loose when no one is on it unless it is really stuck. Pullin on the hull or grass rake as you hold the throttle open is a good way. Sometimes the cord will hang up so be careful.
a 12v winch with a large danforth style aluminum anchor with a 100' line will often get the boat turned around especially if full throttle and the correct ruddder direction is applied.
If the mud is stacked up beside or infront of the boat have the PASSENGERS scoop it away by hand. The importance of passenger participation will be explained later but it is critical to the experience.
several hand held squirt bottles filled with an environmentally friendly soap can come in handy. Just squirt down the nose of the hull and on the side to which you wish to turn the boat towards and stop when the boat is sitting on the soapy surface and lay out a runway of soap back towards where you were able to run before. You may need to do a donut or two before you head down the runway just to get a little momentum going.
Passengers are EXPENDABLE they can walk back to where the boat will run so don't worry about them it will give them something to talk about for years to come. put the lightest person on the boat and the others help pull and push to get it going and then walk to whereever the boat is able to run again. You should also unload the coolers and tackle boxes so the passengers have something to carry to the boat which will give them more to talk about later.
Once you get unstuck make sure everyone involved is tired and muddy and if it is cold make sure you stop in at least knee deep water so they are cold but not in danger of hypothermia setting in on the ride back. Then promptly upon arrival home start working on wife about how important it is for your passengers comfort & safety that you buy one of THUNDERS LS1 motors so this will happen less often.
The string on the throttle is great I always carried about a 50' piece of masons cord or similar stuff just for that reason. Normally a boat will break loose when no one is on it unless it is really stuck. Pullin on the hull or grass rake as you hold the throttle open is a good way. Sometimes the cord will hang up so be careful.
a 12v winch with a large danforth style aluminum anchor with a 100' line will often get the boat turned around especially if full throttle and the correct ruddder direction is applied.
If the mud is stacked up beside or infront of the boat have the PASSENGERS scoop it away by hand. The importance of passenger participation will be explained later but it is critical to the experience.
several hand held squirt bottles filled with an environmentally friendly soap can come in handy. Just squirt down the nose of the hull and on the side to which you wish to turn the boat towards and stop when the boat is sitting on the soapy surface and lay out a runway of soap back towards where you were able to run before. You may need to do a donut or two before you head down the runway just to get a little momentum going.
Passengers are EXPENDABLE they can walk back to where the boat will run so don't worry about them it will give them something to talk about for years to come. put the lightest person on the boat and the others help pull and push to get it going and then walk to whereever the boat is able to run again. You should also unload the coolers and tackle boxes so the passengers have something to carry to the boat which will give them more to talk about later.
Once you get unstuck make sure everyone involved is tired and muddy and if it is cold make sure you stop in at least knee deep water so they are cold but not in danger of hypothermia setting in on the ride back. Then promptly upon arrival home start working on wife about how important it is for your passengers comfort & safety that you buy one of THUNDERS LS1 motors so this will happen less often.
Ol Yeller
Well-known member
There is not an airboat made that won't get stuck.....period. It's just a matter of running your boat and learning it's limitations. But if you do get stuck, or your engine or prop craps out, don't hesitate to ask for help. Because any excuse to head to the marsh at any time is alright with most of us. When I see an airboat with problems I always say, "It could have been me." So I always carry soap, swimming pool putty (to patch hulls, it works great), an extra fire extinginsher, a comealong, and a diggin anchor. There is no way I'll ever leave a fellow airboater stranded. I've been there and I owe. But I think it's best to be low key. and don't push your boat to the limit on purpose. Often enough we get in jams we don't plan. and when we get out we should just be thankful. Anytime you come back to the ramp and nothing is busted. it should be considerd a great day!
Oh YEAH.. I can't believe I left out FLOATING MATS .. these are very important .. once again it all boils down to passenger participation. The look on thier faces when you announce that it will be required of rthem to get in the water and help is priceless so try and keep a straight face during the initial portion of this prcedure. After verifying that they will not drown because of the water being over their head .. neck deep is still ok but its close at that point. They should grab the hull near the front so they dont get in the prop thats very important, it will take all the fun outta this one for sure. anyway have them push side to side and pull preferably in some type of rythm. If one or two fall down in front of the boat do not stop.. simply.. run over them I have been run over several times and usually it wont hurt anyone but they will be tired, muddy and wet and very willing to help with the pitch for the new engine. And if at all possible once you are clear of them and while still under full throttle be sure and help blow some of the mud off of them with the prop wash, Don't worry they will close thier eyes cover their ears and turn away all in perfect unison it works like that every time and have never seen anyone warned in advance about it. Its like a natural instinct takes over .. SURVIVAL
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
cntry - passengers are expendable. LOL - I love that one. But great advice.
Bill - Great post, I would have to agree.
Bill - Great post, I would have to agree.
marshmaster pat
Well-known member
cntry - sounds like there are some stories there.
But yep been run over myself. Had a buddy that had a boat stop on him for a few seconds. He wasn't under water but said that short pause seemed to last forever.
But yep been run over myself. Had a buddy that had a boat stop on him for a few seconds. He wasn't under water but said that short pause seemed to last forever.
I was runnin with a buddy on his boat and we lost power and settled down into some cattail and sawgrass that was about 10' tall. It was filled with stinging caterpillars also. we spent an hour after we got the engine going stomping down a runway so we could get back on top of that stuff and get back. I have never been so tired in all my life. I looked like I had been in a fight with a panther and lost. My shirt and jeans were cut, I was bleedin and itchin from the caterpillars. Next night we were back at it again with better luck that time. ALL BOATS WILL GET STUCK it may not be becuase of the terrain, it may be due to a mechanical or electrical problem that causes it, BUT IT WILL HAPPEN. I suggest when given lemons simply make lemonade it all makes great memories which are priceless and bonds frienships which last a life time. What don't kill you will make you stronger and smarter.
Marcy got broke in right from the start when we started dating. I broke down a couple of times, I got stuck in some very serious cattails and spent forever stompin a trail down I never did find the bottom I would just jump off the bow sideways and smash them down and then walked on those to stomp some more down. then I went to help a guy who looked like he was stuck in some mud and that old cottonmouth hull with those round sides and nose just sunk down in that floating mat aww man that was bad. Then I broke the motor mounts and the engine hit us in the back of the seat at the MILK BUS needless to say that was a serious problem and a darned expensive one as well. She was actually in tears that night saying she was my bad luck charm LOL now she knows better it is all part of it. She doesnt like riding the top seat still but she will if needed. She learned how to drive a little and has gotten stuck herself once she was very upset over that one I just told her to stand on it and let it eat but she was scared she would hit another boat that was close by. So I waded over to it and drove it out.
The best way to test your boat is to run it where you think it won't go especially when you have other boats around or with you. Even if they know what you are doing is trying to see what it will do they will usually assist you in getting out. Many times you will get to stay high and dry and they get muddy and usually love every minute of it, because they have another story to tell and they have one more boater who will come help them no questions asked. Airboaters a by far some of the most loyal and dependable friends you can have. There are a few out there who will take advantage of a situation but by far and away most will always help any way they can and never even take a penny for it. I myself would never leave anyone or their boat in the swamp for a minute longer than is needed. Now if you keep getting stuck the same way in the same stuff over and over I might explain to you that if it happens again on purpose you will be forcing me to break that rule of mine so drive, have fun and most important, learn from it. BURN SOME GAS
Marcy got broke in right from the start when we started dating. I broke down a couple of times, I got stuck in some very serious cattails and spent forever stompin a trail down I never did find the bottom I would just jump off the bow sideways and smash them down and then walked on those to stomp some more down. then I went to help a guy who looked like he was stuck in some mud and that old cottonmouth hull with those round sides and nose just sunk down in that floating mat aww man that was bad. Then I broke the motor mounts and the engine hit us in the back of the seat at the MILK BUS needless to say that was a serious problem and a darned expensive one as well. She was actually in tears that night saying she was my bad luck charm LOL now she knows better it is all part of it. She doesnt like riding the top seat still but she will if needed. She learned how to drive a little and has gotten stuck herself once she was very upset over that one I just told her to stand on it and let it eat but she was scared she would hit another boat that was close by. So I waded over to it and drove it out.
The best way to test your boat is to run it where you think it won't go especially when you have other boats around or with you. Even if they know what you are doing is trying to see what it will do they will usually assist you in getting out. Many times you will get to stay high and dry and they get muddy and usually love every minute of it, because they have another story to tell and they have one more boater who will come help them no questions asked. Airboaters a by far some of the most loyal and dependable friends you can have. There are a few out there who will take advantage of a situation but by far and away most will always help any way they can and never even take a penny for it. I myself would never leave anyone or their boat in the swamp for a minute longer than is needed. Now if you keep getting stuck the same way in the same stuff over and over I might explain to you that if it happens again on purpose you will be forcing me to break that rule of mine so drive, have fun and most important, learn from it. BURN SOME GAS
That was the way I first learned how to drive an airboat. It was 1980 and my dad just replaced his blown up 540 with a 307 chevy and we got stuck pretty bad. Well with me being 4 years old I was obviously the lightest one, so my dad put me in the driver seat and told me not to let off the gas until I hit water. So with mom and dad shaking the front the boat started to move and as I passed them up I let off because I didn't want to blow them. That was a bad move because dad started chewing me out a bit for stopping, after that I went alomst a quarter mile before I let off again. After that I was hooked on driving and would do so at any chance I could get. And here I am today..........
Larry
Larry
AND I AINT NO PROFESSOR LOL I just ride to live