Airboat RIB

[hoverjos]

Did some one built DIY a RIB with propulsion as an Airboat or are there plans for doing that ? Thanks , Jos.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by hoverjos

Did some one built DIY a RIB with propulsion as an Airboat or are there plans for doing that ? Thanks , Jos.

I've been on,and driven a Few "Air Boats" in Texas.
Thier whole raison d'e etre ...and unique design is to address the unique environment they operate in...the Evergaldes and other extremely shallow intertidal "Flats" .
The FLAT Bottom DESIGN on all Air boats coupled with the ABOVE water propulsion system (high powered air fans) enable to them to negotiate and operate in VERY shallow water and even dry reed beds at speed!....
A RIB is a V hull (usually a deep V) Ocean going Craft designed again to handle again a Pretty specialised environment ...Big Seas with good Sea keeping..manoverabilty...and safe load/passenger carrying..IMO It would not lend itself to Air propulsion...or gain any advantage in doing so.
Horses for Courses

[hoverjos]

Good evening Maximus ,
thanks for your comment and you have a point there , please look at the site of "Airboat West" and you will see with some different approach (skip V-hull) it can be a great Airrib if may call like that.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by hoverjos

Good evening Maximus ,
thanks for your comment and you have a point there , please look at the site of "Airboat West" and you will see with some different approach (skip V-hull) it can be a great Airrib if may call like that.

does that offer an advantage over a hovercraft? Plenty of hovercraft DIY designs around. It broadly looks like a zap cat / thunder cat with a big fan on it - that may be an easier approach than building from scratch unless you were looking forward to inhaling the solvents when gluing tubes!

[hoverjos]

Hello Poly thanks for that great advice on Zat/Thundercat (did have to look on the Web to see what they are) incredble machines & fitted with a airboat propulsion lots possible. Hovercraft have also lots of benefits but would not be best on rough water.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by hoverjos

Hello Poly thanks for that great advice on Zat/Thundercat (did have to look on the Web to see what they are) incredble machines & fitted with a airboat propulsion lots possible. Hovercraft have also lots of benefits but would not be best on rough water.

I’m not sure what advantage a fan brings in rough stuff though. It might, but my guess is they are rather inefficient. The fan, engine etc are going to get a lot wetter (and suffer more corrosion issues as a result) in the sea than the Everglades. And perhaps most importantly you won’t have to look too far to find pictures of the cats driven hard and flipped over. Adding top heavy superstructure is going to make that more likely and harder to resolve when it does.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Poly

I’m not sure what advantage a fan brings in rough stuff though. It might, but my guess is they are rather inefficient. The fan, engine etc are going to get a lot wetter (and suffer more corrosion issues as a result) in the sea than the Everglades. And perhaps most importantly you won’t have to look too far to find pictures of the cats driven hard and flipped over. Adding top heavy superstructure is going to make that more likely and harder to resolve when it does.

People have put Sheds on Lawn Mowers and Rockets on Bikes ect...everything is not nessesarlly a step UP the evolutionary ladder!

Most good inventions..and innovations you see,of any type that will fill a gap...or ease life..or make a real difference ...immediately illicit the thought-–I wonder Why hasn't anyone done that before!?

Like when I saw the Handglider Powered "Flying" RIB for exploring remote coastal areas and expeditions with little or no back up...which HAVE proven useful

Contrast that with A RIB (V Hull an Tubes) ...added to a very noisey ...very bulky ...very thirsty.. heavy ...de-stabilising -hard to manoeuvre and somewhat dangerous Top Heavy Fan and..Nah I can't see ANY benefits over the great choices out there already.

Between Air Boats...(trully great in they're unique environment/application)..

Hover Craft..(which have never really caught on mainstream for private use)

and then to RIB's which we know are extremely versatile in terms of size and usage .. with all the power options they in particular enjoy ..Petrol...Jet..(great in Shallow draft conditions) Inboard..Outboard..Diesel...and are after all in their many configurations ..Proven and Totally Ubiquitous WORLD WIDE.
Like Polly I can't see any advantages of creating...another variation on the theme...But then again I wouldnt jump on a Rocket Powerd Bicycle!

[Pikey Dave]

Wasn’t there a gas turbine rib on here recently? Totally impractical from a day to day point of view, but still an interesting read. Makes a change from yet another refurb thread.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Wasn’t there a gas turbine rib on here recently? Totally impractical from a day to day point of view, but still an interesting read. Makes a change from yet another refurb thread.

Not a "Fan" then!!?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Not a "Fan" then!!?

Blew me away tbh[emoji6]

[HDAV]

Been done sort of

https://youtu.be/-LfD8-CJuQw

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Been done sort of

https://youtu.be/-LfD8-CJuQw

That's of the sort I mentioned previously.They have proved their worth...
....not what the OP is on about

[hoverjos]

Nice to see all your reactions here , understand most not in favour but hope to can prove if done the right way can combine the pro's of different types vessels still first find all the needed parts espscially the tubes !