ATV Florida Forum

I've been fishing along 27 and out of Holiday Park in my Ranger Bay.  Also took it up to Okeechobee.  It gets me into a lot of areas but I'm thinking about maybe adding an airboat to my stable of toys.  ;)  Here's the dilemma; never owned an airboat before although when I was a teen, my step-dad let me drive his a couple of times.  There's five in my family and I know them well enough that a two-seater's not going to cut it.  From what I've seen, it looks like I need something around 16 foot, I've heard to stay away from fiberglass and I know I want at the very least a cage made from aluminum, preferrably stainless.  Poly goes without saying.  A boat that size is going to be fairly heavy, particularly loaded, so that pretty much eliminates an aircraft engine.  Now here is where I need advice:  Belt or gear reduction?  Stroked small block or big block?  Props (so many variations - Warp, counter-rotating, Sensinich, Whirlwind, power shift, the list goes on and on)?  I'm listening!

I know enough about them to know what you're talking about, but can't offer any advice. I see them all the time up in Floral City and there seems to be many different types of air boats. Every weekend there's a whole row of them parked at Sleepy Hollow (local bar on the water). There must be a hang out down there in south Florida that you could ask around?

Have you tried posting on southern airboat they are a very good group of guys and can point you more in the right direction

There are a lot of airboats down here but they congregate at camps out in the Everglades and Loxahatchee.  No rivers to speak of down here and certainly none that have restaurants or bars.  Aside from waiting at the ramp for someone to show up, not any place that's accessible that I'm aware of where I could pick people's brains.  Saw a ton of airboats on Okeechobee but they were always far away and moving fast.

I've been poking around on that site but haven't started asking questions yet.  The forum seems pretty good so perhaps I'll register and join in the conversations.  Doesn't look like there's a Politics section though.   :(  LOL

Go to Diamondback factory in Cocoa. My cousin has a DB 14'er with a stroked 383 and belt drive. Wide paddle 2 blade carbon prop and steel cage. The DB's are aluminum. This boat has 2 seats up top and a double seat on bottom. It will run dry anywhere you want and as far as you want. His cousin owns the big camp out at holy lands. The one with electric doors and central heat/air. They all ride DB's with car motors and belt drive. I believe belt drive is the way to go. Gear drives whine real bad.

I've hung out many times at that camp back before they closed Holeylands to ATVs.  The old fella that owned the camp (can't remember his name anymore) was a really nice guy.  Made his money with cranes, if I remember right.  Never got to know the younger ones too well but I've got a crazy story of a Memorial Day weekend midnight cruise we all took.  Can't repeat that story on a public forum.   ;)  I know Diamondback is a good boat.  My step-dad's boat was one of the original Diamondback boats.  He had bought it in 1972.  Twelve foot with an O-360 and grass rake.  How reliable are belts and if they break, how difficult is it to change if you're out in the marsh or are you SOL?  Looks to me like the prop has to come off to change a belt.  I wondered about gear noise.  That would get pretty annoying.  The only gear noise I like is that from a 671.   ;D

I pulled the trigger on this boat.  Couldn't help myself.   ;)  I live in the Ft Lauderdale area so any of you guys that have airboats let's meet up and ride Lox or 3A.  It's a Diamondback 15x8 with a Levitator 496, seats 7 and lots of other little goodies.

Congrats on the new rig Diggin!!!!!!!

Nice!!

Focker, 1% er! I got yer advice, right here! You ain't fooling me. I know you bought it to get out to those 3a camps off the Sawgrass Distressway, where they film porn!

Got me figured out, Robert!   ;)   If you ever want to take a ride out there, let me know.  I was out tonight and it was very cool.  If you're interested, PM me and we'll set something up.