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General => The Tailgate => Topic started by: Coyotes-R-Us on January 04, 2018, 01:13:21 PM

Title: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on January 04, 2018, 01:13:21 PM
Two years now, and still not in the water. :eyebrow:
I'm doing it all by hand in the backyard. The going is slow, AND I don't weld aluminum .
It's a Catrermeran style 12' x7' hull powered by a VW bug 1600cc motor.
A 3 blade 54" composite prop.
The "Drive" is off a 1969 Johnson skee horse snowmobile.


(https://s26.postimg.org/ywj9gyrft/101_2382.jpg)
(https://s26.postimg.org/v96b6opd5/101_2828.jpg)
(https://s26.postimg.org/3k48yesmh/IMG_20171112_125007.jpg)
it will be used on the ice and snow as much as water.
I call it the "water bug
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Okanagan on January 04, 2018, 01:49:11 PM
Wow!  If I were 30 years younger that would be tempting, so perfect for use on water and snow.  I know some shallow sloughs that run for miles where that thing would shine, with a duck or even with a moose in it!

FWIW a friend of mine way up north makes his own sleds to haul caribou and anything else (including me one time) behind a snow machine.  He makes them out of big plywood type sheets of lexan or some such kind of plastic.  It sure takes abrasion and impacts well, and slides on anything.  My experience with aluminum canoes is that they grip any touch of rock, instant brakes.  Wonder if covering the bottom and front with a thinner sheet of such plastic would make it go better on snow?  Adds weight, attaching problems, etc. and no doubt you have thought way farther ahead on this than I have.  Great boat you are making and best of luck with it.

Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on January 04, 2018, 02:11:10 PM
If I was only 30 years younger My boy would only be 13.
and me no where near SSI.
I have been retired for some 10 years now.
Anyway .
I put a sheet of 22 gauge steel on the bottom of each cat and painted it with a bottom slick epoxy paint. Then
three 4 inch strips of HDPE ( nylon kinda) on each cat also to give it a better chance of sliding over the rocks and gravel.
I used matching oat strips on the grass rake up front and to help support the transom .
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Okanagan on January 04, 2018, 02:43:23 PM
Quote from: Coyotes-R-Us on January 04, 2018, 02:11:10 PM
If I was only 30 years younger My boy would only be 13.
and me no where near SSI.
I have been retired for some 10 years now.
Anyway .
I put a sheet of 22 gauge steel on the bottom of each cat and painted it with a bottom slick epoxy paint. Then
three 4 inch strips of HDPE ( nylon kinda) on each cat also to give it a better chance of sliding over the rocks and gravel.
I used matching oat strips on the grass rake up front and to help support the transom .


You have thought this through and come to a better solution. 

 
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: nastygunz on January 04, 2018, 03:19:29 PM
Pretty neat!
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: FinsnFur on January 05, 2018, 05:51:14 AM
Very interesting. Looks like a fun project
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: pitw on January 05, 2018, 12:39:03 PM
Now that's a project. :highclap:
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Carolina Coyote on January 20, 2018, 06:48:10 AM
Cool,Cool,Cool. :yoyo: cc
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on February 16, 2018, 01:55:12 PM
   (https://s26.postimg.org/fjy4mmlzd/headers.jpg)

(https://s26.postimg.org/wkh0varax/hheaders.jpg)

Headers on the bug.
With the new little welder I'm plugging along.

I made some headers for the bug motor.

The easiest way was to use the existing pipes and ad

crisscross Pipes. They point out to the side right now but will

point to the back, I have the mufflers from the "Johnson" jammed on now and they make the bug quite quiet. I'll work with them .









I did some digging and found out I have my distributor "Plumed" wrong.

When I got the carb I used the vacuum lines that where on the old one, used them by size and they seamed to work.

But on a VW they put vacuum on both sides of the advance diagram

and I had them backwards. AND come to find out In my application , I need to uncap one and leave it to atmosphere and plug it at the carb. Then , this is odd, I have to find TDC of #1 mark the pulley where you time it from mark the Degrees to 28*.

Run the motor up to 3500 rpm and set the mark to 28* Above TDC. I also found out an old fashioned distributor with mechanical weights would be the best in my application.

I'll have to look in to that if I cant get it to 28*.
     
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: FinsnFur on February 17, 2018, 01:01:11 PM
Shes comin along :congrats:
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on February 17, 2018, 05:30:45 PM
Ok !
I re plumbed the distributor as directed, and left off and plugged the second Vacuum line.
I used a  * print out , worked great.
I found TDS on #1 marked it and took off the prop.
I fired it up with the timing light on it.
Ran it up to 3500 rpm and twisted the distributor till I hit
the stud that was used to hold the old manual fuel pump( I have it capped off ) and use an electric fuel pump.Not quite to the 28* mark with the vacuum line off as needed .
I was able to cut the stub off some to let the distb. turn farther.
I set it to 28* clamped it down, and put the vac line back on.
Put the prop back on and...
PERFICT!!! I now have enough HP to turn the prop up to the required 3100rpm.
That's all ,but it is right on 3900 rpm on the motor and holds . Nice.
I have a very short Video of the boat moving , on the snow.
Still lots of work to do like some way to steer , cage ext...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiE5J6tZvvI


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiE5J6tZvvI 
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: FinsnFur on February 24, 2018, 06:30:37 PM
She sounds bad ass :laf:
Your gonna have some fun in that thing :biggrin:
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on February 24, 2018, 07:55:54 PM
Hoping !!!
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on March 07, 2018, 01:05:25 PM
Ailerons

In like most small airboats I plan on running "Dry" and on Ice a lot.
I need to be able to adjust the attitude of the boat differently then on water. 
Here is my plan.  "Ailerons".
I'm going to pit 3 small ones before the rudders, to lift the front or back depending what I need.
Remember "work in progress "
(https://s26.postimg.org/x90mk9755/ar.jpg)

(https://s26.postimg.org/hnjb0anh5/ara.jpg)

Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Todd Rahm on March 07, 2018, 02:59:38 PM
Ah man that think is going to be cool. Like Jim said, It sounds super!!!
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on May 20, 2018, 08:21:16 AM
I found a trailer , needs some work !
It is 7 and 1/2 foot wide
12 feet long, the deck.
AND needs some work.
I got it for free, it has tires and a tidal.


(https://image.ibb.co/nPjxWJ/IMG_20180515_095532.jpg)
I have radial light truck tires on my 18' Hewes trailer.
Good tire , 10 years old still look good. I keep it covered so there is no weather checking on them, that said.
I just got an OLD trailer that was a fold up camper now stripped down to the frame.
I looked at the tires there 20.5x8 tubeless, and look remarkably good.
I plan on new tires and rims same size but with what ?
Bias or radial ?
I can get 2 tires with white rims 6 ply new free freight on EBay.
$119.00
Radial are about twice that .
Are they twice as good ????


OK, here is what I got.
RubberMaster 20.5x8 10 range F. There made in Indonesia.

Rim Width (Inches): 6.0
Outside Diameter (Inches):  20.60
Section Width (Inches): 8.10
Max Load:  1549 lbs.
PSI:  90
Two tires and two white rims 5 hole.
My buddy the tire guy balanced them and will mount one of the old ones on one of the old rims, for a spare.
$135.00
I had to replace a stud , 7/16 - 20 and I got some extra nuts, $8.00
I checked the bearings and they looked and felt ok, I repacked them with grease that may actually flow in cold weather. I'll change them and add Barring buddy  soon as I can. Never enough money or time.
Galvanized rims would be the best, but for now I'll just paint the white ones Camo ad call it good.
Now just re do the entire trailer for  cat, boat and it will be finished.
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: FinsnFur on May 20, 2018, 08:10:19 PM
Looks homemade and looks like it'll work. :congrats:
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on June 02, 2018, 02:46:02 PM
I needed some U joints for the steering on the waterbug.

There like $30 each on the computer, I need three.

They turn slow and only one revolution so I did not need precision just flex to change sides of the boat with My tubing. They fit over the 1" tubing I'm using.

Handle bars will turn a drum with cables to the tubing shaft.

The shaft will run the length of the boat to the back.

Then a drum back there too with cables to the steering arms on the rudders .

Closer by the day...









(https://image.ibb.co/nMss2d/uu_joints.jpg)



(https://image.ibb.co/kZcgvy/uuu_joint.jpg)
   
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on June 23, 2018, 06:28:34 PM
Still Not in the water yet but if it was I could turn it now...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KayvskQYPfQ&feature=youtu.be
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: pitw on June 23, 2018, 09:49:10 PM
That looks great.  Hope you enjoy the [L] outta that rig up. :yoyo:
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: FinsnFur on June 24, 2018, 10:11:57 PM
She's on the phone while demonstrating the trim mechanism :alscalls:
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on July 13, 2018, 06:08:25 PM
 :innocentwhistle:Working on the accelerator. On a VW motor single carburetor the butterfly leavers need about 3" of movement.
I'm trying to use the thumb leaver off the snowmobile or maybe the brake lever but they only give me about an inch
of movement. I have tried serval "Bell crank" set ups with out any luck.
Finally, I think I'm on the right track. It's a leaver and pully set up to Pull from the back of the butterfly linkage.
If I use the long part of the leaver to actuate the butterfly and WAY down near the bottom for the thumb leaver cable.
I Think I will need to use the hand brake leaver to get enough leverage to open it with only one hand.
Now I have to think of a way to mount the cable to the motor somehow/ somewhere .
It's been a few weeks of trial and error . I need to get past this and start the trailer.
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on July 28, 2018, 11:08:52 AM
First water test

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGSZIXDUaM4&feature=youtu.be
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: nastygunz on July 28, 2018, 02:27:58 PM
Saweeeet!👍👍👍👍👍
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Todd Rahm on July 29, 2018, 07:07:19 AM
It floats, that's a positive sign.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Okanagan on July 31, 2018, 09:32:46 AM
Niice!  Wish I had that airboat for fishing salmon on the Fraser River.

Running the river is like boating on a chocolate milkshake that is anywhere from two inches to 100 feet deep with no way to tell which.  Gravel bars, rock ledges, giant sunken stumps and logs.  The guide boats all run jet drives. 

Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on July 31, 2018, 10:26:19 AM
We have a jet drive too 18', but I hope to use this one on thin ice too...
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on November 23, 2019, 04:28:16 PM
Another up date:

Water test
To bad the wind was 50 mph and cool we would have made some
adjustments on the river bank.
The movement of the motor and other weight back helped a bunch.
I still can move the motor but a lot of effort.
I was going to move it a foot then chickened out and went with 6".
Could have gone 8".
I'm going to lift the prop end another inch I went with 2 the first time.
We had troubles with the 64" prop hitting water as it splashes in the back, It eroded the prop some in a 15 minute test. I could get 3900 rpm with the new gears that puts me around 2500 rpm on the prop.
We put the 3 blade 59" prop on with the steepest pitch blocks I can get. 4600 motor rpm that's 2900 rpm on the prop.
Max for the prop is 3100 And I don't want to run that many rpm if I don't have to. I'll try a different sprocket I have. I can back off to 1.3 instead of 1.6 ratio. If I can get 3700 on the motor that's 2850 on the prop. About the same and 800 rpm less on the motor.
Here is the test vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M0729cm8_A&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rFGNgWk2Fs&feature=youtu.be

Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: FinsnFur on November 24, 2019, 09:17:31 AM
Looks like fun :eyebrow:
Is she heavy? Looks like it's plowing a lot of water.
Title: Re: Been building an airboat
Post by: Coyotes-R-Us on November 24, 2019, 01:49:36 PM
It is heavy.
I have some plans to get the nose up.