ATV Florida Forum

Is anyone on here into airboats? Me and my family used to be real big into them about 8 years ago. Then got into to buggys, and that moved into quads. I'd kinda like to get back into them. Are they laws real strict with them? Is their many areas to go with them? I was only about 8 when we sold them so I don't remeber much thats why I'm asking all these questions. Also if you have one post pictures please. ;D

airboattrader.com they have alot of info on there.

I want one!

I dont have one............................yet. I do know that they are getting pushed out of lakes and rivers because of the population growth in Fl. and complaints from our new residents just like our riding areas are getting closed.  All anybody seems to want to do in this state is play with their little balls and sticks.
 If anyone ever sees me on a golf course, please pull the trigger and put me out of my misery.

i think we should close the borders and not let anyone else move to florida. ;D

When I buy a gulf course and turn it into an ATV riding park you can come play... ;D

Down here in south florida  there are way too many courses....   BS is all I can say.

I know... I am going to put a rack on the back of my quad for the clubs and call it my quad cart and take it to the local  par 4   :o    They will be like     WTF this guy is allways in the sand trap

whats wrong with that? >:D lol

your right though, in 5 years the only legal sports in the state will be golf and shuffleboard.

Me and a few other guys from work have them. We're in pretty good shape out around Okeechobee and north of there (for places to ride). I think the muffler laws just went into effect. No big deal though

I've always thought it would be REAL neat to "play through" a couple of holes on my airboat. LOL

Here's a couple of pics. This is a girlfriend of mine. We dont have any pics of the one we just got, as of yet anyway. This was @ Lake Cypress a cpl of weekends ago.
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/MHOLL/100_0881.jpg)


(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/MHOLL/100_0884.jpg)

I have a Thurman 10 ' Full deck hull with a Continental E series -185.
Its not the fastest but gets around good . Haven't had any stick time lately,  but will get back on it later in the spring.
We have some new restrictions coming our way , the result of Florida's lack of growth management. 
If i didn't already have one would i get into it today ? As much as i enjoy it I might not do to restrictions.

Just like atv'rs we too are losing riding areas  .  >:(

I like to get one so I could go Froggin.  My father-in-law had one and it was set up for that.   mmmm mmmm good.

www.gtoairboats.com


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NICE!!

What's your gear ratio Magnum, 2:1?

The best site to visit for airboat information is www.southernairboat.com.  Be sure to check out my pics in the member gallery section under jdotson.  I run a 15' Alumitech with a 507ci Cadillac 2:1 gear reduction. 

A lot can be learned by the airboater's approach to dealing with legislators, complaints, and preservation of the priviledge to ride.  Airboats, for the most part, are not discriminated against in rivers and lakes with the exception of a few.  Recently the FWC has reinterpreted the muffling rule that requires all airboats to have "automotive style mufflers" by July 2006.  Some counties have required mufflers for several years now.     


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This is not mine I've just been looking

HULL

One Piece Bottom Construction
Non-Trip of Latest Design
Lengths Available 14' and 15'
Beam 7 ½'
Height of Midship 25 Inches
Transom Min. 20 Inches
Transom relieved 15 Degrees for Rear Wash Safety
All Welded Aluminum Construction Bottom and Transom Marine Alloy 5086 .190
Bulkhead and Sides Marine Alloy 5052 .125 Aluminum
Bottom Stiffeners Equally Spaced Across Bottom
Min. 5 - 2” X 2” X ¼” T-Bar Stringers
Recessed Deck Area 36” Width
Storage Under Bow with flush mount Lockable Access with drip rail
Top of Deck will be Non-Skided (Your Choice of Color)
Custom hull strip
1/4” Polymer Bottom
Attached with Stainless Steel Fasteners
ENGINE

New 350 C.I.D. / 330 Horse Power General Motors Engine
New Holley 600 CFM Carburetor
12 Volt 65 Amp Alternator with Dual Belt/ Pulley System
Electric Fuel Pump with Fuel Filter/Water Separator
U.S.C.G. Approved Fuel Lines
Electric Gear Reduction Starter
Certified Marine Spark Arrestor/ with Rain Cover
HEI Distributor
Heavy Duty Flywheel
REDUCTION

Stinger Gear Reduction
2.09 to 1 Ratio
PROPELLER

Adjustable pitch Composite Propeller Matched to Horse Power of Engine
SEATING

Seating for Three, Single Rear Operator , Double Seat up Front
Your Choice of Color Custom Marine Vinyl Seat Cushions and Rain Covers
RIGGING

Steel Super Structure with 1 ¼” Engine Stand Supports
Steel Seat Package and Cage
Powder Coated
EQUIPMENT

Cable Steering Attached to Top of Rudders
Stainless Steel Flex Pipe 3”
Stainless Steel Headers
Stainless Steel Mufflers
Heavy Duty Engine Cooling Aluminum Radiator
Aluminum Coolant Expansion Tank
U.S.C.G. Approved Radiator Hoses
Complete Bilge System
Dual Batteries with Battery Boxes
Ignition Protected Battery Selector Switch
Certified 40 Gallon Aluminum Fuel Tank with Remote Fill
4 Foot Air Foiled Aluminum Rudders, Foam Filled, Nylon Bushings
Stainless Steel Rudder Rods
Rudders Attached with Rod Ends
Assembled with Stainless Steel Fasteners
KC Lights Attached to Cage
Floor Board Courtesy Light
INSTRUMENTATION

Marine Standard Wiring
Lighted Marine Gauges
Labeled Marine Toggle Switches
Voltmeter
Temperature Gauge
Oil Pressure Gauge
Tachometer
Hour Meter
Fuel Gauge
Marine Keyed Ignition Switch
1- 12 Volt Marine Power Point
Fuse Panel with Circuit Breakers
U.S.C.G. Approved Navigational Lights
TRAILER

Galvanized
Single Axle (3500 lbs.)
2” Heavy Duty Coupler
Heavy Duty Tongue Jack with Wheel
Heavy Duty Wench
Easy Grease Bearings
Carpet Side Boards
D.O.T. Lights

I thought I saw that one for sale. If im not mistaken, GTO is a company that actually builds airboats?

GTO is one of many airboat manufacturers in Florida. 

We have a 13' cottonmouth with a jurnigan built 0-720 8 cyinder lycoming, a 13' predator with a angle valve 0-540, and a 13' predator witha 0-670 continental 7 cylinder radial engine. We just bought a GSO (supercharged) 540 from junior jurnigan though and were going to put it on a 11' aluminum step hull, and we also have a supercharged 8 cylinder lycoming 0-580 hanging up in our shop, but were not quite sure what were going to put it on yet.

here's a few pics of the 720, the 670 and the 580 engine. The 670 wasnt finished in these pics though.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/polaris_400_2_stroke/album?.dir=4447&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/polaris_400_2_stroke/my_photos

DIAMONDBACK AIRBOATS...the only way to fly on water. My cousin has a yellow diamondback with a stroked 400 smallblock, belt drive & 3 blade carbon fiber prop puts out 540hp on dyno(no bottle), it will run all over Bullsh*t Hill, the milk bus & both sides of the N-Ridge with 4 180-200lb. adults on it anytime.  We ride Lk Kissimmee mostly but get to the glades & Okeechobee every once in a while.  IMHO, Diamondback is the best built & backed airboat out there. They run a 1st class operation. They will build whatever you want however you want it. If you do get one, get an aluminum hull & make sure it has polymer on it. Dont waste your money on "slickbottom", if you plan to run dry ground any, it will wear off & damage your hull if not maintained.

Best airboats and buggys around. Period. http://www.outbackadventuresairboats.com/  ask for Lonny.

Custom made. But, better have the time to wait for one, and the money to afford one - airboat or buggy.

Mine was 13 foot, aluminum metal work, and a lycoming O540 angle valve upstack.

Airboats are awsome ;)

The owners should put mufflers on them so people dont complain as much :P

The mufflers wont help anything, it is the prop breaking the sound barrier that makes all the noise. the only way to stop it is with the new dual counter rotating props, but the weight goes up & the price is through the roof. If I were to ever buy my own airboat, there is no way i would ever buy one with an airplane motor. Parts are to expensive & you have to run aviation fuel & oil. Too much money for necessities & then you have to be an airplane mechanic. Anybody can fix a 350 chevy motor. I would put my cousins small block up against any boat ,same size 13', with an aircraft motor to see who can run more dry ground.  If you are actually gonna buy an airboat, go to some shops & go to the areas they ride & see what the big dogs are running. The old addage that "real airboats have airplane motors" is just that...old. I personally like the sound of a cammed out 500hp V-8 running through headers & flowmasters over a whiny buzz of an a.c. motor. Make sure it has a belt drive gear box, the gear to gear make a lot more noise.

Airboats are like ATV's....everyone has an idea of which one is better.  My prop certainly doesn't break the sound barrier as it is only spinning 2100rpm at wide open throttle.  I won't brag about what it can do but the video (link below) speaks for itself.

http://www.southernairboat.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/2723/cat/526

A properly set up boat with adequate power does not have to be loud.

The advantage to an aircraft motor is weight. They weigh a lot less than a car motor - aluminum, no radiator and no gear box. This helps in the hp to weight ratio, how the boat handles on the water and especially when it comes to running dry ground. But, for the average airboat user, a car motor is probably better. Easier to work on, no long warm-up/cool-down period, and doesn't require Avgas, which is like liquid gold anymore.

And take a o540 (yeah, it does mean 540 cubic inches) with a 2 blade powershift and some pitch cranked in it and there ain't no whine about it. Aircraft vs. Car - the endless debate. It's all preference in how and what you use the boat for. Aircraft motor is kinda old school and classic too - which I like.

Hey MudDobber - do you have a soaper on that boat or was there just a lot of dew?  ;D

That was around 3PM in the afternoon with no soaper.  I've spent countless hours and more $$$ than I should have experimenting with my engine and hull setup.  The biggest factor was properly building a Cadillac engine for a 2:1 reduction.  The Cadillac has tons of torque at low rpms which allow alot of pitch to be put in the prop, especially when reducted.   

Nice. That is impressive for that big of a boat. I've heard a few turning low rpms and they were quiet, but didn't really have the power. Looks like you've got it right.

Kris,
I haven't seen too many  radial engines in airboats , very unique.
Although rare the 0-720's are seen every now and then .
How would you rate the overall performance of say an IO-540 to one of the 8cyl motors aircraft motors and would you happen to know much an overhaul one would run?
Thanks

The problem with the people who oppose airboats, they buy waterfront property often site unseen or view during the day while most airboaters are still working. Then after they get moved in, they hear a noise that is not as peaceful as they expected and want to pass laws opposing the airboats.

Most of these people have been here un der 5 years. A fracion of the time the airboats have been operating in these waters.

When our county looked at enacting a noise ordinance the sheriff stepped up and said the ordinance would be nearly uninforceable and they didn't do anything. I think the county airboats would have even had a difficult time passing the db requirements.