Well, my first tries on hovercrafting on a river.
Hovercraft
Extremely good fun Only that it's a little too loud for the conservative population around here. Pics are Gerhard riding the craft.

Another gallery with pics from testing a Cirrus SR22 in styria. Some landscapes, but the weather wasn't too nice.
Cirrus

AlpineRAM

 

You lead a hard life.

 

Sometimes you've got to have fun. Even if it takes getting paid for it.
Actually I've got a second job now doing the tech stuff for hovercraft-austria. Importer for Europe for hovertechnics products.

The pics of the Cirrus were made because the prospective buyer asked me about my opinion on what he should buy- Diamond DH40 or Cirrus SR20. Cirrus came with the 22 which has 100hp more than the 20, mightily impressing airplane. So I didn't have to pay for this fun but got invited to dinner for my observations. What a 8) way to spend your weekends.

Hehehe- wishingthatmoreweekswerelikethis

AlpineRAM

 

Cirrus aircraft are manufactured right here in Duluth, Minnesota! I will be doing some work at their facility next month.

 

I have been wanting to do some researh into the use of a hovercraft in the winter for ice fishing on lake Erie. The ice is too unpredictable to walk on so some of the guys are using the hovercrafts to get to these areas where the fish hang out in the winter. If this would work it could help my fishing business and extend the charter hours. I guess I would have to have it coast gaurd inspected and approved.

 

I have been to the Sirrus Facility too. I did some stuff there during the second phase of the construction. It is a nice clean facility too.
Tom

 

For blackjack,
Sorry, they don't include a picture here (I know I've seen pictures somewhere), but we keep a hovercraft at *******. Go ahead and give them a call. They can direct you to the troop that operates it in *******. I'm sure he wouldn't mind discussing any of it's issues/benefits. They keep it on stand-by at tip-up-town and use it a lot in the winter. They even occasionally trailer it in parades, so they don't mind the P.R.
http://michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123...9673--,00.html

 

Blackjack: Have a look at http://hovertechnics.com/ and call them- if you'd like tell them that the Austrian importer has sent you - could help our business a bit.

Hovering is great fun- especially on ice etc- wherever you just can't use a boat just can't use a 4x4 etc.

AlpineRAM

 

Cool!!! I want one to blast to work in. looks like lots of fun

 

Apache: Blasting to work with the hovercraft would really be a blast- no brakes. Just turn 180 degs and blow full to decrease speed Blast young ladie's skirts up with 100 mph wind from your fan- Marilyn Monroe's subway scene is really nothing compared to this

I've updated the gallery- more pics. (including interested cows)

AlpineRAM

 

I dont think Ive seen one in these parts, As well the noise impact would drive everyone nuts around here. What powers those gems? what is top speed? I can see stopping quickly would be a issue

 

These crafts are powered by either a 2 stroke Rotax (for the small ones from 60 hp up) or by a GM 5.7l V8 with 250 hp for the bigger ones. The small one has a top speed of about 120 kms/hr. (too lazy to calculate into mph)
These buggers are really loud.
Fun thing that makes them so interesting is that they'll slide on sidewards with the same speed if you turn them say 90 degs. So fast sharp turns are impossible. If you let off the gas in such a situation you'll set the craft on the ground at high speed and it will at least kick you off, or it will roll over very quickly.

AlpineRAM

 

I haven't seen one in person, but footage of them.

That would be the perfect all around recreational vehicle.

Does the job of the jetski, snowmobile, 4 wheeler and fishing boat all rolled into one.

Probably for the price of about 2 of the above.

Here's a couple links for manufacturers on this side of the pond.

http://www.neoterichovercraft.com/recreational.htm

http://www.aircommander.com/

http://www.hovertechnics.com/

http://www.usamarineservice.com/ (in Arkansas)

None of them list a price though, all are "call for pricing".

Even found an Evilbay listing, and the guy will trade for a Dodge Diesel Truck.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW


phox

 

Well, about the pricing: The stuff is not too cheap- but at least at hovertechnics you buy a product that's mainly handmade in the USA.
The decision to import hovertechnics products makes me biased towards them, nevertheless I think that if you'd want to buy a boat of the same performance (just on water performance) you'd be somewhere quite close pricewise- add up the potential to ride on frozen lakes etc and you'll think it's rather cheap.
The pricing is not easy since you can have so many options and personalisations that it's rather hard to give away a price list and then expect the customer to be able to sort out what can be combined and what's useful for his profile. The curse of a versatile platform

AlpineRAM

 

I didn't even notice that the hovertronics was the same link you posted.

"If you have to ask price, you can't afford it" kind of thing.

Figure the cost of seperate vehicles that can go where the hovercraft can go,
you could almost buy two of them.

And, you'd probably be the only one on the block with one.

Once you get it, the BOMBing potential is huge as well.


phox