So I'm building a hovercraft

[RearAdmiral]

So a co worker and I decided to buy a hovercraft kit for something to do over the winter. It is the UH-14p from universal hovercraft:

Details
http://www.hovercraft.com/content/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=48

Pics
http://www.hovercraft.com/content/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=91_156



I'm pumped to do something cool over the winter and hone my man skills of building awesome stuff. We opted to go for a 2 engine setup. A 25hp thrust engine with a 10hp lift engine. We should be able to hit 65+ mph like that.

I also plan on building a water cannon using a 5-6 hp trash pump hooked up to a nozzle to shoot at leafers invading my area. This will involve me hovering up/down the Delaware river and spraying the dirty leafers as they gawk at my hovercraft.

I hope others have some hovercraft stories, it looks like it will be a fun adventure.

Update
The hovercraft has finally started to be built. Apparently epoxy doesn't like to cure in <60 degree weather so we decided to play it safe and wait it out. We made several fairly complicated measurements and cut out the basic pieces we need to build the craft. Taking into account that no joints should line up on a 2 and sometimes 3 layer hull was interesting when designing measurements.

We are hoping to epoxy the craft together this weekend, then the real fun will start! Also it took us till about a couple of weeks ago to get the rest of our parts. Including an epic fiberglassed/balanced 54" prop! Imagine that spinning at >3k RPMs. I'll try to post pics once it gets epoxied together.

 

[FDF12389]

How much did that cost?

 

[RearAdmiral]

How much did that cost?

4k shipped with some additional and finished parts to save time. Having two engines also drove the cost up a bit.

We opted to get a finished fan and propeller. I didn't really want to have to balance those.

 

[ViviTheMage]

are those only good for water?

 

[RearAdmiral]

are those only good for water?

Anything relatively flat really. It will go over grass pretty well, water, and it will go really fast over ice.

 

[slightlyhuman]

bad ass

 

[zinfamous]

<--jealous

 

[AstroManLuca]

Just be careful out there, I've heard that with hovercraft the rule is that if you can see an obstacle anywhere ahead of you, you're going to hit it.

 

[Number1]

This thread is useless without pictures detailing your progress.


Did you get the kit yet?

This is one of the ugliest vehicle I have ever seen but it should be a hole lot of fun building it and riding it.

Have fun.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Does that need to be registered/licensed like a boat?

 

[RearAdmiral]

Just be careful out there, I've heard that with hovercraft the rule is that if you can see an obstacle anywhere ahead of you, you're going to hit it.

Top Gear?

It is definitely going to be a learning process in regards to it's steering and deceleration. We plan on mostly sticking to open water on lakes.

 

[RearAdmiral]

This thread is useless without pictures detailing your progress.


Did you get the kit yet?

This is one of the ugliest vehicle I have ever seen but it should be a hole lot of fun building it and riding it.

Have fun.

There will be pics, no worries. I just purchased the kit on friday, and we will receive the kit in 2 weeks. We plan on possibly putting together a time lapse video as well as pics.

 

[RearAdmiral]

Does that need to be registered/licensed like a boat?

I'm pretty sure it does, not 100% sure though. I live in PA so I'm guessing I do.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Top Gear?

It is definitely going to be a learning process in regards to it's steering and deceleration. We plan on mostly sticking to open water on lakes.

LOL, I think that was it. And we all know how technically accurate they are!

Have fun, and post pics and vids!!!

 

[DaTT]

Just browsing through the site, they have some cool toys...the hoverwings caught my attention, but I don't have an extra 30k to drop on the base model.

 

[RearAdmiral]

Just browsing through the site, they have some cool toys...the hoverwings caught my attention, but I don't have an extra 30k to drop on the base model.

Those hoverwings look incredible! You are basically flying..

 

[LordMorpheus]

Those hoverwings do look like fun.

 

[dawp]

Those hoverwings look incredible! You are basically flying..

the russians have been building something similar for years, just on a larger, faster scale:

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/06/ekranoplans-showcase-part-2.html

 

[AlienCraft]

http://www.hovercraft.com/content/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=38

 

[thescreensavers]

Just be careful out there, I've heard that with hovercraft the rule is that if you can see an obstacle anywhere ahead of you, you're going to hit it.

Just reverse Thrust!!

 

[skyking]

Nice, very nice. Looks like a fun project.

 

[KoolAidKid]

that is badass.

 

[Greenman]

I'll just go ahead and offer up the first endorsement on your man card right now.

 

[konakid7]

That's awesome, sounds like it'll be a blast to build. Looking forward to pictures of your progress once you get started.

 

[IGBT]

put lots of weird strobe lights on it so we get a ton of UFO reports.