Inspired by a Hovercraft ... and are they road legal?
Discussion
Just purchased hundreds of books direct from a Royal Navy school, including some fascinating manuals and textbooks.
However, the 1981 copy of "Jane's Surface Skimmers: hovercraft and hydrofoils" has been totally captivating my imagination.
Surprised by the sheer number of British manufacturers for compact "van sized" hovercraft, very high speeds upon water, relatively simple designs ... even a photo of a 1980s car with one on the roof-rack "for easy transport".
Can see myself skimming along the coast where I live, buzzing up beaches and exploring rivers. Perhaps a trailer to slide from. Tinkering, playing with making it faster and building cool topsides.
Leading to thoughts of occasional road use ... legal?
My only experience has been traveling on Dover-Calais hovercraft. Also know a local former engineer who worked on them in Dover for twenty years.
I'm impetuously thinking of an eccentric, fun, compact garage project ...
However, the 1981 copy of "Jane's Surface Skimmers: hovercraft and hydrofoils" has been totally captivating my imagination.
Surprised by the sheer number of British manufacturers for compact "van sized" hovercraft, very high speeds upon water, relatively simple designs ... even a photo of a 1980s car with one on the roof-rack "for easy transport".
Can see myself skimming along the coast where I live, buzzing up beaches and exploring rivers. Perhaps a trailer to slide from. Tinkering, playing with making it faster and building cool topsides.
Leading to thoughts of occasional road use ... legal?
My only experience has been traveling on Dover-Calais hovercraft. Also know a local former engineer who worked on them in Dover for twenty years.
I'm impetuously thinking of an eccentric, fun, compact garage project ...
Used to race hovercraft with my school back in the 90's. That was amusing. Letting school kids loose with rd250 engines and a massive spinning blade only encased in thin fibreglass. Health and safety.... Urr nope.... I learnt a lot, from how to blow up an engine to repairing vast amounts of fibreglass as crashes were plentiful. Folklore says there had somehow only ever been one fire in the shed we worked on the craft in and think it was the day some minor royalty was coming to visit the school so things got a bit twitchy. Edit - just checked it was Princess Anne....
I'd say get one if you have somewhere to use it, they are enormous fun. But remember if it stops on the water unless you have separate lift and thrust engines you're going down!
I'd say get one if you have somewhere to use it, they are enormous fun. But remember if it stops on the water unless you have separate lift and thrust engines you're going down!
In the place where my parents have a caravan and keep their boat there is a disabled guy that bought one. In theory it was a great idea, he could get in it outside his chalet,drive through the site, down the slip way and onto the river, up any beach he wants to bbq on. Only problem was as soon as he started up there was stones and chippings going every where towards other boats and caravans and once on the river there was just this constant drone, like a low frequency jetski. Unfortunately after the initial fascination from us onlookers it soon just turned into an annoyance. It was a shame because on the face of it it was cool. He then sold it and bought a Sealers which is a rib with fold down wheels so it can drive on land.
Racing hovercraft are fast, exciting, not terribly stable, very noisy and entirely unsuited for cruising about on open water or even exploring rivers. Hovercraft suited for cruising or exploring are stable, quiet and not much use for racing. There's a UK club which specialises in racing and one for cruising.
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