Georgian bay scoot airboat

[Jon Heron]

Well we have put a deposit down on the hull for a scoot airboat from the Georgian Bay boat co.
My future retirement property is on a piece of the river that has high current and rotten ice preventing snow machine access. The permits for the road are moving at a glacial pace so we decided to get a scoot to make sure we have easy access year round (currently only walk in access during ice in months).
There are none available used so we are getting the hull made and then I am going to power, control and wire it.
I have a line on a Continental 65 that can be refurbished for 6K including a paint job and taillight warranty, locally. These things dont have an alternator to charge the battery (aftermarket starter included). I have not committed yet as I am doing research, AC engines are out of my wheelhouse...
This hull is from the same mould: https://ssmscdn.yp.ca/image/resize/f...-boat-co-8.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZtlApe3xn4

https://youtu.be/JTW-ZSIkGQ0

Any input on mounting, wiring and controls for one of these engines and or any advice in general here would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Jon

[JRouche]

Well we have put a deposit down on the hull for a scoot airboat from the Georgian Bay boat co.
My future retirement property is on a piece of the river that has high current and rotten ice preventing snow machine access. The permits for the road are moving at a glacial pace so we decided to get a scoot to make sure we have easy access year round (currently only walk in access during ice in months).
There are none available used so we are getting the hull made and then I am going to power, control and wire it.
I have a line on a Continental 65 that can be refurbished for 6K including a paint job and taillight warranty, locally. These things dont have an alternator to charge the battery (aftermarket starter included). I have not committed yet as I am doing research, AC engines are out of my wheelhouse...
This hull is from the same mould: https://ssmscdn.yp.ca/image/resize/f...-boat-co-8.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZtlApe3xn4

https://youtu.be/JTW-ZSIkGQ0

Any input on mounting, wiring and controls for one of these engines and or any advice in general here would be appreciated!
Cheers,
Jon

Holy Mackerel Jon! You are exactly what I like to stand behind. I like what you are doing.

Let me know if you need some thing. JR

Oh and the boat? Its like a lil deep V bow. Its a very nice boat, JR

[elf]

If you turn the motor around and put a big umbrella in front of it, you could go even faster....

[Noitoen]

Should be belt drive to lower center of gravity.

[Mcgyver]

I'd be concerned about how well it pulls itself out of the water onto the ice. If I had to cross a nasty water/ice area, I'd be looking for a Russian Sherp. After the first minute of idiots doing donuts you can see this thing is a bit unstoppable. If damaging wet lands is your thing, swamps and bogs are no problem either

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j7n00Xx38o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=254XVudQg0M (check it out over soft ice at 4:00)

[Jon Heron]

I'd be concerned about how well it pulls itself out of the water onto the ice.

Thats what they were designed for!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y1D4l5RAMk
https://youtu.be/LZtlApe3xn4
The Sherpa is pretty cool but not what I am after, too slow and expensive, I just need access via the Severn river from close to Big Chute to the end of Gloucester passage, which in winter consists of open water, ice and broken ice...
Cheers,
Jon

[A.K. Boomer]

LOL I watched that old vid --- "up to 100 mph" --- sorry that thing would be taking flight well before that esp. with most of that light front end shape dedicated to lift --- also the propulsion method and the tech back then was crude as all hell so even if you could keep it from going slippery side up that figure is highly doubtful...

All I can say is with the kind of windchill you will be experiencing dress way beyond snowmobile gear including full face helmet or sealed eye goggles --- I hear freezing ones cornea's is extremely painful...

[Willy]

Jon, just a couple of quick links for you to have a look at that may offer you some help.

First is;

Harry Fenton's Hints and Tips for Small Continental Engines

Lots of info regarding the care and feeding of Continental engines there.

Regarding installation practices used on these types of vessels I think it would be wise to search the forums at Southern Airboats. This seems like a good place to ask questions of that nature as their database of info is focused largely in that direction. I'm sure they will be able to answer many of your questions with personal experience.

https://southernairboat.com/phpBB3/index.php

Keep us posted.

[Willy]

I'd be concerned about how well it pulls itself out of the water onto the ice. If I had to cross a nasty water/ice area, I'd be looking for a Russian Sherp. After the first minute of idiots doing donuts you can see this thing is a bit unstoppable. If damaging wet lands is your thing, swamps and bogs are no problem either

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j7n00Xx38o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=254XVudQg0M (check it out over soft ice at 4:00)

Mo need to go to Russia for a Sherp.
Canada has it's own version that is likely just as capable. And no pesky Russkie engines, powered by Cat
I'm sure though that much like the Sherp, deep pockets are still a prerequisite for entry to the showroom.

https://www.fattruck.com/

[A.K. Boomer]

Although im with the idea of having an enclosed cab the sherp type vehicles look totally impractical just for the sake of fuel consumption -- they may be as bad as 2 gallons per mile in the water lol

the airboat makes the most sense for covering the most ground (and water) in short order but im not a big "fan" of mixing extreme windchill with winter,

you know somebody out there makes an efficient enclosed airboat... although im sure price goes up along with it...

[Willy]

They're largely aimed at the resource sector I'm sure, so we'll all be footing the bill for the cost of getting out there.

But yes an airboat in the winter has got to be a good reason to get out the long-johns. Nothing like a good 40 mph breeze to cut through every nook and cranny of what you're wearing.

[Tom S]

No advice here, but I think you should dress it up to look like this Tupoev model. Somehow the Soviets made something that isn't grossly overweight and square, and looks like it's going 100mph sitting still. To bad it was such a niche thing that there aren't many around

https://silodrome.com/tupolev-a-3-aerosledge/

[A.K. Boomer]

But yes an airboat in the winter has got to be a good reason to get out the long-johns. Nothing like a good 40 mph breeze to cut through every nook and cranny of what you're wearing.

40 mph breeze is probably when your only going 20 lol i bet if you stepped the boat up to 40 you'd be dealing with at least 80 mph windchill... i hate winter enough and that would be like adding insult to injury...

I did read awhile back where an Iditarod sled guy froze his cornea's in a race one time and it was extremely painful...

[A.K. Boomer]

Make no mistake this thing would like the fuel also;

[A.K. Boomer]

This can't be a good idea --- this one looks like it would "implode" the front canopy if you gunned it with it's 600 ponies... there's a reverse umbrella joke in here somewhere....