WHAT DOES A HOVERCRAFT DO? WHAT IS A HOVERCRAFT?

A hovercraft flies a few inches off the surface on a cushion of air. It will fly over any relatively smooth surface - water, grass, ice, snow - you can use it all the year round for sports, recreation, utility or rescue purposes.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The 10 and 12 ft. models have a 60 HP, two-cycle, two-cylinder engine. The 14 ft. model has a 100 HP engine. The engine drives a 36 inch fan which creates thrust to drive the hovercraft forward. Part of the fan thrust is ducted through the double skin hull to lift the craft off the surface on a cushion of air. This lift air is contained under the craft by a flexible segmented skirt which keeps the air cushion pressure up. Bigger models have twin fans and bigger engines.

HOW FAST WILL THE HOVERCRAFT GO?

This depends on the surface conditions you are flying over. Ice is a very efficient surface and the craft will travel 60 miles an hour (96 kph) or more. Long grass is porous and a lot of the lift air is lost so that the hover height is lower, the skirt drag is greater and the vehicle may only travel around 20 mph (32 kph). Generally smooth surfaces are best. It performs very well on water, snow, ice, mud flats, sand bars, etc...

IS IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE?

You can learn basic operations in less than half a day but like windsurfing or mountain skiing you get better at it with practice. Of course there is lots of fancy footwork to learn before you become a world champion.

We offer hovercraft operator training programs. Flying over water is quite different from ice or snow or grass. Wind is an important factor because you are actually flying. Maneuverability varies over different surfaces and learning to judge terrain before you reach it requires practice.

Your Atlantic Hovercraft Dealer can teach you how to get the most out of this exciting product.

HOW DO YOU STEER OR STOP?

The craft is steered by a handle bar which controls the air rudders behind the fan. In the smaller models, this is combined with leaning the body-weight right or left to steer. As there is no hard contact with the ground, steering feels more like a helicopter than a car. To stop you just slow down the engine and the craft settles to the surface and stops. For stopping on ice, it is advisable to do a 180 degree turn and use the fan as a brake, a method that works equally well on all surfaces.

ARE THESE LIKE THE AIR BOATS IN FLORIDA?

Similar, but the airboats do not fly above the surface as a hovercraft does and of course they cannot go any distance over land; the Hovertechnics' hovercraft has a smaller engine and makes less noise.

ARE HOVERCRAFT NOISY?

The Hovertechnics' hovercraft are relatively quiet because of the 36" fan in the 10' and 12' craft which allows the engine to turn at moderate speed.

DOES THE HOVERCRAFT FLOAT?

The double hull has a polyurethane foam liner between the inner and outer hull structure so that when the engine is switched off the hovercraft has full flotation for its rated payload. In choppy conditions, some water may enter the outer hull but this will be quickly blown out when the engine is restarted or the bilge pump is operated.

DO I NEED TO REGISTER A HOVERCRAFT?

In Canada, your hovercraft must be registered as a boat. In the USA, a hovercraft must be registered as a boat and in some states also as an off-road-vehicle.

HOW CAN I MEET OTHER HOVERCRAFT OWNERS?  WHERE CAN I FIND OUT ABOUT HOVERCRAFT RACES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES?

Ask your Atlantic Hovercraft dealer for up-to-date information on this topic. You can join the Hoverclub of America for a nominal annual fee.  The Hoverclub sends out newsletters informing members of races and other activities.  Check out their website at www.hoverclubofamerica.org.