Airboating on snow and Ice

[Duane Scarborough]

If anyone has an interesting story to tell about thier experiences using an Airboat on snow, or ICE, please feel free to share it with us. We won't laugh AT you, but we certainly can laugh WITH you.

We seldom have snow here in eastern NC, (2-3 times/year) and never have frozen lakes.

Once I finally get my boat going, if it snows, I plan to go airboating on the snow.

Duane

[Papee]

Hey Duane, I have been known to snow-boat but you guys already know my results in the water at times.

[Duane Scarborough]

Papee,

Eastern NC is mostly flat. We don't get a LOT of snow, but when we do it's sometimes 2-3 inches. I think it'd be a real blast to play in. I've got a wide open, almost level field close by in mind....

Duane

[buster]

OK Duane,

I know what you have in mind. What Duane is hinting at is a little story I told him when we talked on the phone this afternoon. I wasn't gonna put it on here since I feel a bit sheepish about it, but here goes

Last winter I got my first boat running, a 15' airgator with a 350 chevy. With no airboat driving experience, I decided to take a little drive around the yard in the snow. First I did a couple 90's in the driveway beside the shop. Then since it went well, I proceeded to slowly run up the driveway to the road. I turned onto the shoulder and went a few yards, then, I thought I had probably better get off the road with this boat

Not planning very far ahead, I turned 45 degrees to go up over the snowbank the plow had left, and tetered on top for a second . That's when I realized I was doomed.
Lesson #1-
The boat started down the other side to the bottom of the shallow ditch and back up in what seemed like a flash. What I didn't notice before was the only power pole in 500 feet almost dead center. Stopped instantly, putting a dent in the rounded aluminum nose of the boat about the size of a cantalope.

Also involved was a telephone wire access box next to the pole. I managed to straighen it out enough so the cover would go back on.

I often wonder what the chances are that the phone crew that sees that dented box will ever figure that it was damaged by a airboat,.....a mile from water,....in Minnesota?

Anyway I took my F150 4x4 (the plow truck), and pulled it away from the pole so I could drive it through the yard and put it away for the winter. I drove it across the front yard, which went well, except for breaking off a tree limb that I never noticed in twenty years I lived there, with the prop cage

Lesson #2-
So I turned down to the shop all ready to turn off the key, when I realized that even though I was only idling, the boat was picking up speed on the hard packed snow driveway, at an alarming rate The main concern there was that dead ahead at the bottom of the hill, was the corner off the shop. To the left was the plow truck, and to the right was the AEID (my tractor).

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered I had read "When in doubt, power out" so I pulled the stick back and floored it briefly. The boat turned sideways. Still heading the same direction, I had the presence of mind to hit the gas again, and push the stick ahead. This time the boat shot forward, missed everything, and tried to climb a big pile of snow I had pushed off the driveway with the plow, and luckily stopped without going over into the trees. I am sure it was 45 seconds before the snow all fell back to earth.

Then I climbed out shaking my head, totally dismayed, and determined to learn how to drive one of these things on the water, where at least things slow down when you let off the gas

Learn from my mistakes,
Dave

BTW: Let's hear one of your stories. C'mon now, fess up, everybody has them

[Duane Scarborough]

Buster,

I don't have one to tell YET. But hearing your story is what made me decide that when I do get a chance to play on snow, it'll be in that wide open level field.

Had I not heard that story, I'd have been tempted to try it here at home. There's just enough slope here that it would not have been a pretty sight.

My front yard has a gradual, long slope. The neighborhood kids come over with thier snow saucers when we have snow. You guessed it, I'd have probably been out there with the airboat if I hadn't heard your story.

So see? I've learned from your adventure. You probably saved me from screwing up really bad....

Duane

[River Rat]

I believe I'll pass on the "snow boating" myself... Too many hills around here! But sounds like you might need a couple of these:

http://www.power-pole.com/index.htm

[buster]

Duane,

You are 100% right, and I think you owe me big time for all the hassel and expense I probably saved you :P :P

River Rat,

Can those poles be used as brakes? If so, I should probably have one on each corner

Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Buster,

You know, they actually do put brakes on the racing airboats. Maybe Chuck can post a picture of one. The only one I've seen was in a magazine article.

Duane

[Flathead]

Ya know. being from the land of 10,000 lakes, (most of them frozen over for a significant part of the year) using and airboat on the snow and ice is a pastime I look forward to exploring. I think there's real potential there! Just waiting for the right project to come along to start my build....

Dave,
I like your AEID. I have something similar. but not at all the same......we call it the 'Turtle".

Bruce

[buster]

Bruce,

I'd like to see your "Turtle" sometime. I have referred to my AEID as the MUTT. That's a nickname for Mutant, since it started out life as a VW, and eventually turned into a Ford!

I hope you get started on a build real soon. When we get Ron's Tomcat running I will finally have a running buddy close by. We could use at least one more

If I hear of anything nearby, I'll PM you the info. BTW:I just checked CL, and I see Karl still has a complete Tomcat with vw , prop, and trailer, for 2800. It is ready to go, and I don't think you will save much building one. Not if you add up all the parts, etc. You can always find stuff to do and improve, if you want to work on it yourself! JMHO.

Dave

[Flathead]

Thanks Dave,

Don't know how the turtle got it's name, or even who made it. I'll post a picture later.

I also saw the post on CL. Karl also said he had a tomcat complete, but without a prop and he'd send me a pic, but I have not seen anything yet.......

Bruce

[buster]

Bruce,

I know from experience that you need to rattle Karl's cage now and then. I bought three hulls from him so far! I think he gets busy and forgets.

I may be confused about which Tomcat is in his ad. There was no pic' in there.

Dave

[Flathead]

Dave,

Karl said he'd send me some pictures, and that was before he posted the ad on CL. Those were the pics I was refering to....

I just spoke with him again and he said he'd try to send some, but the boats were all covered up in the warehouse and it would be a while...

Bruce

[Coyotes-R-Us]

WOW just found this
WONDERFUL !!!!
Can't wait to do it.