Is there anyone who could give me a driving lesson?

[dragonfly]

Hi, all,

Sorry for the blunt question in this nice forum.

I am a newbie here and I came to this site to ask you if there is anyone who could teach me how to drive an airboat ?

I am living in Pennsylvania and have never ridden airboat before but I watched them on youtube and want to try it before I ever consider buy one in the future.

I have searched internet if there was any program like that bit I found the self guided airboat tour had been shutdown a couple of years ago.

I'd like to know how much you could charge if you could help me learn how to drive airboat.

I am an 54 year old male and had never had any auto accident because I drive very carefully.


Thanks.

[406 JAMIE]

the only thing i can say sir is safety safety safety.
ALWAYS REMEMBER 1THING IT HAS NO BRAKES AND ONLY GOES FORWARD TO A POINT.SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY ALWAYS BE THINKING AHEAD AND CHECKING UR GAGES.U mite find somebody to show u but all boats handle and act differently just besides carmotor or AC.plz plz besafe sir i can not stress that factor enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!.all u have to do is talk to some of us thats been around it most of or lives and there r some real bad horror story's.

Plz besafe y all and god bless us all

[Coastslider]

I grew up on airboats always been one in my family. But until you sit in the seat and get your first taste u have no idea. Be respectful of the machine cause it ain't an outboard

[pontoon outlaw]

best advice is to ride with someone and watch how the Boat handles... and get a feel for it///// that's what I did and then one day my buddy got in the back and said lets go boy of course it was a back seat front driver set up good luck!!! stay in the skinny water to build up stick time

[Bonefish]

As others have stressed be safe as it is common knowledge that there are two kinds of operators. Those that have rolled,flipped,sunk,swamped a boat and those that soon will.

[Cliff Braddock]

Hey if your in my area Reddick,Florida give me a call 352 317 1058. The guys are right about safety , saftey. there right about two kinds of boaters that have and that's going to fliped, sink, etc. But if your willingness wants to bring you to Florida and experience the thrill of airboating I will spend a lot of time with you going over the the safety and eventually let you drive if you listen to what's being taught. Give me a call we can talk about it.

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[Sniper]

I am one of 5 in the US that is a U.S Department of Interior Airboat operator Instructor, I am also a Law Enforcement officer that does Search & Rescue with an Airboat, there is two of us on this web site that are DOI Instructors the other one is Brian Edwards he is my Team mate on my SAR team that we both belong to, he lives in Ohio and I'm in Georgia and either one of us will be more than happy to teach you and give you a DOI certification, I am glad to see you are smart enough to ask for instruction, there are to many out there that just get an Airboat and learn on there own and end up learning bad habits or unsafe practices that ends getting their self hurt or some one else, Airboat are a lot different Animal than a regular boat and you got to treat them with respect, I am well know on this site so feel free to ask about what I do

[Cypressghost]

I am one of 5 in the US that is a U.S Department of Interior Airboat operator Instructor, I am also a Law Enforcement officer that does Search & Rescue with an Airboat, there is two of us on this web site that are DOI Instructors the other one is Brian Edwards he is my Team mate on my SAR team that we both belong to, he lives in Ohio and I'm in Georgia and either one of us will be more than happy to teach you and give you a DOI certification, I am glad to see you are smart enough to ask for instruction, there are to many out there that just get an Airboat and learn on there own and end up learning bad habits or unsafe practices that ends getting their self hurt or some one else, Airboat are a lot different Animal than a regular boat and you got to treat them with respect, I am well know on this site so feel free to ask about what I do

Just out of curiosity, what does the certification entail and how much does it cost?

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[jeepinocala1111]

Hey if your in my area Reddick,Florida give me a call 352 317 1058. The guys are right about safety , saftey. there right about two kinds of boaters that have and that's going to fliped, sink, etc. But if your willingness wants to bring you to Florida and experience the thrill of airboating I will spend a lot of time with you going over the the safety and eventually let you drive if you listen to what's being taught. Give me a call we can talk about it.

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I will only say take the offer. Cliff is as good or better then anyone on here, he is no beginner at all. Your lucky to have his offer.

[Prototype]

Dragonfly,

A tank of fuel and eats is pretty common on your end but after years of pursuing THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, I cannot validate anyone is a trained airboat instructor for pay via the USA.
Welcome to Bengazie!

[Sniper]

I got my certification from Gary Hill he works for the U.S Department of Interior and wrote and tough all the Airboat Training for the Department and the training has been a requirement for anyone in the federal government that was operating an Airboat including the US Coast guard there are several people on this website that know me and the credentials I carry, Rick, Whitebear and glades Cat, I have also been the Trainer for Diamondback Airboats for years

[406 JAMIE]

i think this tread is BS all these replys and not a ty or kiss my @$$ or anything.i think this guy was looking for a vacation trip here and figured he would get to drive a airboat while he was here.
And not even 1 question from dragonfly wtf!!!!!!!.

JMO.

[glades cat]

Hey Dragonfly. Welcome to SA.
Yea, these machines are pretty cool. Each one has a personality of its own and behave differently than a conventional boat with a prop in the water. You mention you're 54 and never ridden one...it's about time. Lol.
If you just want a ride and experience the thrill of these fantastic machines, or to help you decide if you might want to purchase one, it will be a memorable experience. If your intention is to learn to safely drive and take passengers, keep your boat in safe condition, understand the dynamics and physical laws that influence your craft, a comprehensive method of learning is always a prudent approach.
Many airboaters on this site can attest to having helped another retrieve their sunk boat, upright one that flipped or assist in the aid of an injured passenger due to an accident. May the good Lord protect us, but many of these occurrences may have been preventable. Be proactive in your skills, abilities and understanding, which will allow you to be purposefully reactive in your decisions.
I can vouch for Sniper as a top notch professional with many years of experience and countless live rescues performed during flood emergencies. We also worked together in a S&R mission many years ago. I was a Fireman for 34 years, specializing in Special Ops & Technical Rescue. I recognize professionals when I meet and work with them. He is your go-to person for a quality training experience.
So... chime in and shed some light towards what you'd like to accomplish and we'll help you as we're able and steer you in the right direction.

[Cypressghost]

I got my certification from Gary Hill he works for the U.S Department of Interior and wrote and tough all the Airboat Training for the Department and the training has been a requirement for anyone in the federal government that was operating an Airboat including the US Coast guard there are several people on this website that know me and the credentials I carry, Rick, Whitebear and glades Cat, I have also been the Trainer for Diamondback Airboats for years

I'm not sure if this was a reply to my question, but it did answer it. It's pretty cool the amount of support members of this forum are are willing to extend others, especially in the name of safety. I'm relatively new to this as well and continually find lots of good info here. Standing by.

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[Prototype]

I got my certification from Gary Hill he works for the U.S Department of Interior and wrote and tough all the Airboat Training for the Department and the training has been a requirement for anyone in the federal government that was operating an Airboat including the US Coast guard there are several people on this website that know me and the credentials I carry, Rick, Whitebear and glades Cat, I have also been the Trainer for Diamondback Airboats for years

Snipe,

No question there or your training or Credentials. I just question your 1 of 5 or 7 in the USA that I can't validate Via the DOI. An insurance break should be given to trained ops and so far DOI deny's that to validate your position as a legal instructor?
At the moment for the past 3 years your hanging a shingle that cannot be validated through the Department? At 1400 a pop you should realize that a tank of fuel and some eats will create less on your end being 1 of 5 in the nation in a industry that is in serious need of instructors!
I can't afford to cater to the rich and famous for a piece of paper that can't be verified through DOI.
Not doubting your skills as an instructor but doubting your silent authority that issues you such!
When you pass, you'll own it and it'll be lost forever is what I'm getting from you and DOI?

[Sniper]

Gary Hill who worked for the DOI and was there training coordinator Kept up with all that when we would hold a class any students that passed we would turn in all the information to him now that he is retired I don't know who is handling it, When I got my instructor certificate he told me there were only five that have it and they only wanted a few doing since the amount of people needing certification was low LE officers, Coast Guard and Biologist and such then they decided to expand to civilians now I turn the certs into the head of my SAR team

[Prototype]

Gary Hill who worked for the DOI and was there training coordinator Kept up with all that when we would hold a class any students that passed we would turn in all the information to him now that he is retired I don't know who is handling it, When I got my instructor certificate he told me there were only five that have it and they only wanted a few doing since the amount of people needing certification was low LE officers, Coast Guard and Biologist and such then they decided to expand to civilians now I turn the certs into the head of my SAR team

The DOI will not verify your cert and that leads to who is certified to instruct? Maybe I'm just asking if you have the will to bypass DOI and establish a real confirmed class that the insurance industry will accept with an insurance discount.

Who has not been airboating in the last 5 years wanting a card to hand to a asshole airboater to say, please call this guy!

[Sniper]

I'm Certified I promise you I have the certificate Signed by Gary Hill so I will check into why you can't find it and I have also tough classes with him so I will make some calls and find out whats up but there has never been an Issue before, I have trained LE & the Military all over the US and the World and there never been an issue and I have all the training manuals and training Video's from the DOI and I think if I was not Certified they would have never given them to me BTW how are you checking my CERT if you don't even know my name ?

[Sniper]

Ok I just talked to Brian Edwards about all this and I found out what the deal is Gary Hill wrote the Basic Airboat Operator course for the DOI and then put it out there for LE and other government personnel to use, then he realized it would be a good course for Civilians as well, so thats when he he got with my team leader SGT Kevin Roderigus who was our team leader for the Airboat SAR team that Brian and I belonged to, so Gary realized since he wrote the course he needed to train some instructors to teach it so he got with Kevin and trained a few instructors down in Florida he never ran the instructor course Threw DOI but as the Writer of the course and the Course coordinator authorized under DOI, All the guys he made instructors were either Active LE or Fire Rescue and he hand picked them so that's why there are so few of them that holds a certificate from Gary, I hope this clears it up

[glades cat]

Where's Dragonfly?

[NorthWestFloridaBoy]

If you find someone willing to give you stick time I'd recommend driving around in the shallow water for a while learning how to turn and drive at slower speeds then work your way up in speed. Ask the driver to teach you about "torque roll". If you'll be driving in deepwater back home then "torque roll" will be a concern. My car motor boat was driven by me primarily in deep rivers and I had to learn which way was safe to turn and wich way posed more risk for the boat to drop a back corner under and sink. They are so different than any other vessel handling and driving wise you just need time on the stick. But once you learn how to drive one you'll love it.. I promise you that

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