What are the lightest flat bottom boats- for Airboat power ?

[preventec47]

I have a fifty hp airplane engine and am considering buying some kind of used fishing boat to put it on
as they seem to be pretty cheap. In craigslist I see a lot of open flat bottom boats and some are referred
to as Jon boats or other Bass boats etc. Are the aluminum boats the very lightest? Do all boats have
a tag near the transom that gives the weight of the boat or do the tags just give the max payload ?

I am not sure if these Jon boats would work well as an airboat as I think they have a lot of chines
and directional groves in the hulls that might not work as perhaps the airboats need to be real smooth
on the bottom to slide sideways etc. ?

I was thinking a 12 or 14 footer would be good to carry the airboat motor and two people.
Does anyone have experience with this ?

 

[Grub54891]

Interesting....But I think a john might be to narrow, unless you find a really wide one. Then the capacity rating kicks in, and the center of gravity, ect..... Lets see a pic of this motor/prop you have.

 

[Ned L]

As grub said,.... I suspect the reason airboats are so beamy (and have no bilge keels 'chines' as you called them) is to keep them from rolling over. Remember, as a 'regular' boat, all the pushing is done from underwater; as an airboat, the pushing is done from about 4+ feet above the water. That's a real long lever arm that will easily roll a boat over in a turn.

 

[Texasmark]

I put a 9 hp outboard on a rented 20' Lowe (brand) john (flat bottom, wide beam, extremely light weight, aluminum boat) and planed (got it on top of the water) easily. Your air power would power that nicely.

 

[gm280]

I don't think the typical Jon Boat you see on the CL sites will work unless there are really wide for stability. I would look for at least 16' and as wide as you can find. Because your engine will easily push a boat like that along very well. I also suggest you search air boats and see how they are built as compared to Jon Boats. Lots of times those ridiges you see in a typial Jon Boat are not so much directional ribs, but more for redigity band issues to make the boat more solid. Whatever you decide to do, think safety first and go from there. JMHO

 

[Scott Danforth]

You could probably take 2 jon boats to make an air boat. Air boats have a really wide beam for stability. Most of the airboats also have 200+ hp. (the one I see near me actually have 6.2 liter LS motors at about 450hp)

A 50hp airplane motor probably came from a 2 person ultralite

 

[Texasmark]

Here's a model I built from scratch, just a recollection from one upon which I rode once while visiting relatives on Sugarloaf Key, FL.

Model dimensions are 23" L x 11" wide, wider than most real boats, but the idea is no keel, wide beam, flat bottom, allowing the boat to slide in the stern rather than dig in whereas stability (with the high CG) might be a problem. The TX registration number was out of the thin air. With this little A2212/13T 1000KV electric motor, an 11.1 V LION battery and a 7 x 6 SF prop, this little sucker will plane out with only one third of the hull in the water. Lot of fun.

 

[gm280]

Texasmark, I am glad that is a model and not the real thing. Because I could easily see heads rolling...for real. :facepalm:

 

[Texasmark]

Texasmark, I am glad that is a model and not the real thing. Because I could easily see heads rolling...for real. :facepalm:

Trying to "model" a protective cage for the prop is a bit much to get the concentric circles all lined up and all from a roll of wire. But I did look around for a small fan I might modify for the purpose and I found none. So I put a pretty girl as the helmsPERSON to distract the viewer. Grin