New

[newtoair]

Hello everyone I'm new to the airboat world but I decided a few days ago
To build a mini airboat with my little boy and I have a 11hp Honda
My question is would that motor be large enough or have enough hp to
Plane a mini airboat? Thank and any tips would be greatly appreciated

[buster]

newtoair,

Welcome to the Mini forum, joining is a good first step for you're build. I like the idea of building a Mini with your boy, a good father/son project.

As far as a 11hp engine getting a boat to plane out, I would say, no way. It would probably push it around ok, but if you need it to plane, things need to be right. The
first thing is to keep it as light weight as practical.

The next thing is more power, and how much it will take should be researched a lot before spending your hard earned dollars. I would start by looking around the archives of this site. A lot of guys have tried different engine/prop/hull combinations, and you can benefit from their efforts. Remember you never know for sure what will work until someone tries it. Don't be bashful about asking questions, chances are someone on here has the info you need and will be glad to share it.

Good luck to you and your son,
Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Welcome to the forum. We're not big, but we are civil. (Mostly)

Building a boat with your son sounds like a fun father/son project.

But honestly, you're NOT going to get much performance from 11 HP. You could build something that would be fun to play with in a pond, but that's about it.

Even with 35-40 HP things have got to be just right to get decent performance.

Duane

[Papee]

If you found the right hull for that motor it would be a good little toy for a kid. I built a jon boat at one time with an 8 hp and it planed out with me at about 200lbs at that time. If you keep it light it will go. My hull was a 14ft Sears and was VERY thin. I also had no external gas tank on it just the tank that was on the motor, I think it held a bit more than a gallon. I carried a small gas can with me if I wanted to venture more than a few miles.

There were gas stations along one shore of the river on the opposite shore. As a matter of fact now that I think about it. I use to make gas runs for my generator at camp in it. I could carry a five gallon can full of gas in it on plane.

It would never be a long distance boat or "ride boat" but would it work, Yes. I mainly used mine for fishing trips at camp.

[newtoair]

Thanks everyone for all the information it is very helpful does anyone have a hull that they could recommend? I had saw a few plywood plans for two seaters that way my son and I could both ride but I didn't know if it was a good idea I would like to go as cheap as safely possible until I found out if my son enjoyed air boats enough to put more money in it any ideas are welcome thanks

[fox river rat]

It's exciting to hear that you two are building something together. That's awesome. I'm blessed with 4 sons and now they are adults and my best friends. That time spent together, especially building a boat will be remembered forever. My dad introduced me to boating and some of my fondest memories were skipping along at 35mph in a wooden boat.

Seems I saw an article on here by Chuck about an aluminum flats boat that was a 14 footer by 7 wide and it only drafted 4 inches in the water. Pushed around by a 40hp or so. I believe that the physics, and I'm an artist so take with healthy dose of other opinions here, is that light broad surface areas will create less drag, if it's light like Papee says. So keep the hull as light and bouyant (sp?) as possible.

I toyed with the idea of building a wood hull, not sure when it comes down to the time involved if it would be cheaper than an old john boat.

[buster]

I'm just thiking out loud here, but has anyone ever tried to build a "fat Jon" boat out of two 4' jon boats ? I had though of doing that before I found the Aircats the I ended up building. They could hardly not be lighter that a glass airboat, and more bouyant, more stable, and could handle a longer prop and bigger powerplant. It's just a daydream I had, but may be worth some consideration!

Dave

[n4wsp]

Yep but with two 14'X48" Boats. Just though about it but never did it.
Steve

[fox river rat]

Maybe that was a post of yours I saw on here Steve. I remember reading about someone planning combining two johns.

Never having done any building with aluminum, what the heck keeps it from leaking when you are only assembling with rivets? Then when you weld the aluminum, same thing. The big boat builders only weld every so often, skipping sections. Can't fit that well can it?

[Duane Scarborough]

Rat,

For it to work, you'd need to find 2 identical hulls. And you'd have a lot of work to do to cut and fit them together properly. You might be lucky enough to locate 2 used, but identical hulls.

To seal it up properly, I'd think that after tack welding it all together, you'd need to then weld the seam up with a continuous weld. I guess it could be done another way, but I'm not sure I'd trust it.

Then there's the question of lateral strength. The seats contribute a lot to this in a typical Jon boat. If you eliminate the seats, you'd have to somehow deal with that.

I'd be willing to bet that by the time you were done with it, you'd have almost as much, or maybe more money invested than if you bought a ready built airboat hull. There are bargains to be found in used hulls, if you look around.

Now if you just happen to have 2 identical Jon boats, it might be an interesting project. Otherwise, I'd be looking for a purpose built airboat hull.

Just something to think about...

Duane

[fox river rat]

Hi Duane,

That was Buster that asked about joining the two jons. I was referring back to an article I read about someone doing this. I think I saw it on the mini forum. I agree with what you are saying. Plus the jons have those ribs for tracking straight. Can't imagine them being optimal. However I did see a 16 or 18ft John with an airboat rig built by Panther Airboats. Someones grand dad left in to him when he died. This was in Oswego, Illinois. They had a rotax 447 like mine. He said it pushed that big boat with two guys a dog and their hunting gear.

I'll have to keep digging on the aluminum hull question about joining seams. I just was looking at an old aluminum runabout and there wasn't any solid welds, just rivets.

[Duane Scarborough]

Rat,

Yeah, it was Buster asking that question. Sorry, we get things mixed up when we get grey hair.

I agree, the ribs on a Jon boat "Could" be a problem.

About aluminum hulls: I've seen some very NICE riveted aluminum hulled boats. BIG, fancy boats. I think that all of them leaked some. They all use some kind of sealer to reduce this, of course.

In his latter years, my Daddy had a simple 16' V hull aluminum fishing boat that he loved, because he could man-handle it on and off the trailer by himself. It had a riveted hull. Yes, it leaked a little. Not much, but a little. We put a bilge pump in it so he could fish, instead of bail. With a flip of the switch, it'd be dry again. I don't think he ever used it much, but it it gave us some peace of mind.

The point is, riveted aluminum hulls leak.

Duane

[buster]

When I thought about joining two aluminum Jon hulls together, I figured on using rivets. That and some of this modern day glue/sealer. I haven't looked into it, but I know they use something in the automotive industry that holds metal seams about as strong as welding.

If it was done well, I can't see why a riveted/glued seam would leak. It may need to be maintained over the years like most anything else does though.

Dave

[Duane Scarborough]

Buster,

Yeah, they've got some high-tech adhesives / sealers on the market now. They MAY work GREAT. But they MAY not. I have a little problem when some manufacturer tells me that the adhesive that they developed in the last couple of years will last for 50 years. HOW do they make such a profound statement?

They haven't tested it for 50 years ! DUH !

(part of this post retracted, by me) I was wrong. I should not have compared adhesive promises to Presidential promises. My BAD.

Duane

[fox river rat]

You guys are too funny. I do have some of high-tech glue holding the fiberglass fenders to the bed of my black 1978 Jeep Pick-up. It's working WAY BETTER than Washington! Two years is enough to convince you if'it-al work or not. After what we saw these last two years a tube of silicon glue could have done a better job of holding our economy together than nobama-bin-laden.

[Duane Scarborough]

Rat,

I've got a little ceramic pig, (I collect PIGS) that one of my daughters gave me, a VERY long time ago, back in the Jimmy Carter era. While being frisky, Frasnackle (one of my all time favorite cats) broke an ear off of it. I glued the ear back on, with Jimmy Carter era super glue, but am afraid to even handle it much now.

Frasnackle is gone. And Jimmy Carter is pretty much history.



If Frasnackle was still around, and broke the ear off again, I'd glue it back on, IF I still had some Jimmy Carter era super glue. If all I had was Obama glue, I'd just throw the damned pig away.

Yeah, I'm from Georgia, and I supported Jimmy Carter. Yeah, he wasn't the best President we ever had, but he sure as heck wasn't the worst.

Duane

[buster]

Duane,

I don't ever remember hearing about Jimmy Carter era-super glue, I though he just grew peanuts Even if it WAS made out of peanuts it probably would stick a lot better than most any politicions promise in recent years. BTW, I agree with you about Jimmy Carter, and I voted for him, twice I think. I think a lot of people wish they could vote for him now, after seeing the mess the last two jerks have left us with

I may have forgotten to say that I planned to use a "Marine" version of the glue I mentioned. And I am quite sure it would make your pigs ear, cat proof Also it would make a boat hold water, ----out.

Dave

[fox river rat]

I agree with your sentiments about the glue on that pig ear. and...carter moves up a notch from the bottom.

Sometimes you just have to admit that something smelly came from your state. Kudzu and Carter. I'm, sadly to say, in Illinois and we gave the nation chicago-style politics and obama.

Please consider voting republican next time. Even if you are a life long democrat.

[Flathead]

I have a 1995 20 ft. deck boat with a 115 hp outboard. Aluminum riveted hull. Does not leak, never has. BTW, the Fatcat does not leak either.......(at least not at the moment) Hey, I almost forgot! My Warp drive prop just showed up. Hope to try it out on Friday......

Bruce

[buster]

FRR,

How apropriate that we were just talking about a pigs ear.

Will Rogers once said, "It takes courage to be a Democrate. It takes money to be a Republican". I NEVER had money, but once in a while, I manage to muster a tiny bit of courage.