Timbo85
Senior Member
I’m trying to see if anybody has any experience running a air boat on the river , wanting to know how they handle in running water and what type hull is best for running in the river
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Air boat
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1gr8bldr
Senior Member
They suck. No reverse, no space remaining, steering is limited and the sound is horrible. You would hate it. Despise it. And most require a special aviation fuel. All the weight is in the rear so they don't handle shallow water well unless on plane,. Loading on a trailer in cross current..... LOL, comical. Go with a jet prop. I run a 150 Yamaha on a 24ft SeaArk. I can drive, not on plane, through 5 inches of water, less on plane but that's Russian rulette. A Jet prop gives you waaay better boat handling that a prop will. . My boat 26ft total, I can do a U turn in 28 ft. Benefits... Although they use twice the fuel, they go half as fast with twice the noise, I can go almost anywhere.
fishtail
Senior Member
There are trade offs most people find objectionable.
The amount of power needed to utilize water jet driven boats usually needs an increased horse power of 20%.
I don't know what the air driven boat ratio is. I'm sure it is higher.
This is a problem as to weight. Larger engines will be needed, which translates to more fuel being needed. Now the payload is increased, so we need more horse power.
Most air boats utilize aviation fuel and about half use aviation engines to offset the weight to thrust ratio.
Another dislike is the prop wash. We are talking about a hundred yards or so of near hurricane force wind.
The amount of power needed to utilize water jet driven boats usually needs an increased horse power of 20%.
I don't know what the air driven boat ratio is. I'm sure it is higher.
This is a problem as to weight. Larger engines will be needed, which translates to more fuel being needed. Now the payload is increased, so we need more horse power.
Most air boats utilize aviation fuel and about half use aviation engines to offset the weight to thrust ratio.
Another dislike is the prop wash. We are talking about a hundred yards or so of near hurricane force wind.
1gr8bldr
Senior Member
In my area, we don't have much vegetation. However, there will be "trash floats" that we will see and steer around, yet I would not run a prop through it either. It will be all kinds of debris that floated out of the woods in the last flood. Funny how it all stays together like a flock of geese rather than scatter all over. Although it's not fun when you do suck something up and have to raise the motor and reach back there to swipe the grate. Most times I can get it moving, shut the motor, so there is no suction, and the current over the grate will remove the trash. Pebble rock from a shallow river is the worst because it wedges in the grate. But this is rare, and only because I'm in extreme shallow ankle deep water. I will say though that on a lake, it becomes obvious that a prop is more suited. I used to have the old CNC jackplate that would travel 8inches. Exactly what I needed to switch back in forth between a prop and jet. Now these 5 inch jack plates are not enough. I could switch mine out in about 20 minutes, not counting the water pump switch because I had one on each foot rather than switch them. He did say river, and current so I assume the driving force in asking about a air boat is shallow and hazards.
1gr8bldr
Senior Member
Only if you have shallow water and hazards would I get a jet. If you ever did consider a jet, You can't under power like with a prop. A smaller prop will get you there, just slower. A jet has a power demand to keep you up, so you don't push water. A jet on the verge of not enough power will quickly show itself when loaded with, gear, bait tank and friends. Always overpower in motor size expectations
1gr8bldr
Senior Member
I ran my jet for over an hour Saturday for my son and friends while they bass fished. The motor ran the entire time and I kept them in perfect position . I eased them through the prettiest bass fishing boulder infested 100 yard part of the river. Could not have done it any better with a trolling motor. Once you get used to the handling of a jet, you don't want to go back to a prop.... but again, only if you have shallow water and hazards. What makes them handle good is the .... I'll call it a flap or diverter, but that's not a good description. The motor always turns forward. You don't change the gears, so to speak. No waiting for the prop to stop turning so you can mess reverse gear. All that happens is you move the flap/diverter to direct the moving water. Neutral would be down. I could be running 20mph and throw it straight to reverse and it not do anything but slow down. Prop users don't often use reverse. Jet users constantly use reverse to "pull the rear" . For example, loading in a cross current, most prop users will line up and try to time it and start over if they miss it. A jet prop allows you to not start a new line by manipulating the front and rear . Just throwing out info in case you are serious about a river boat. However, do not buy a new river boat with pods, stupidest thing I ever heard of. Pods are great to get more flotation on an existing boat, but if you think you need pods then put that money towards a boat 2 feet longer.
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bassboy1
Senior Member
Have you ever owned a boat with pods?
1gr8bldr
Senior Member
No, However, if your paying for flotation, why not buy usable space. They make trim tabs if that's where your headed. But as I said, if you want more flotation from a boat that you currently have, then they are good.
1gr8bldr
Senior Member
The trick is to balance your load. When I built my boat, I knew all my gear weight, my motor weight, fuel, battery, etc. I put a naked boat in a pond and moved 50lb boxes of nails, representative of those crucial objects, moved them around to get the entire boat to float the weight rather than the rear doing all the work. My fuel, battery and throw nets had to be up front to keep the rear from sitting lower, thus no need for pods. My boat sets 95% level in the water. I also have a level mounted on my console. If I am moving through 4 inches of water and have 3 guys talking in the back, I might ask one to walk to the front, because the boat if sitting 6inches deep in the rear, means 2 inches in the front. When they walk forward and I see it level out, I can get through ulta skinny water.
Timbo85
Senior Member
10 4 thanks for the advice
1gr8bldr
Senior Member
I did not realize you already had one. Sorry, I did not mean to talk negative about your boat. I wrongly assumed you were pondering buying one, and for fishing.
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