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Airboats-Why Are They So Expensive?
Posted on 4/3/14 at 12:11 am
Posted on 4/3/14 at 12:11 am
I was perusing boats generally and ran across a used airboat which I thought was way overpriced (different than the one below). I have very little knowledge of airboats. But I researched them a little and found price ranges ranging from 40-70K. I know some of the new Ranger bass boats can run around 70K. Is this a typical price of airboats and why the expense? Is it the engine that constitutes most of the expense? LINK
4
Posted on 4/3/14 at 12:13 am to Litigator
Engine and the fact they aren't nearly as mass produced as some other types of boats. Old friend of mine custom makes airboats in Wasilla. He holds several patents in the industry.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:26 am to RogerTheShrubber
I was under the impression that it was all in the hull. You can get a 500hp crate engine for $6500, a prop for $2500, have a cage built for the motor/fan for $1500, rigging hooked up for the engine and rudder for $500. If the rest of the cost doesn't come from the hull, where does it?
Posted on 4/3/14 at 6:10 am to Hammertime
There's a great deal of work that has to be done in order to take that crate engine and run it in an airboat. If you put that motor in your car you will have a transmission, and seldom get above 3500 rpm. In an airboat, you won't be switching gears, and 3500 rpm won't be enough to move the boat from a dead stop. You end up staying around 5500-6000 all day. There's a good bit of tuning involved.
I think your rigging price is very low.
That being said, you can get a 18x6 with a 454, on a trailer, new for about $40k I think. I think that's what we paid for the last one from Mark Robicheaux.
I think your rigging price is very low.
That being said, you can get a 18x6 with a 454, on a trailer, new for about $40k I think. I think that's what we paid for the last one from Mark Robicheaux.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:06 am to tenfoe
quote:
18x6 with a 454, on a trailer, new for about $40k
Spot on. bought a 17x6 as you describe for 40k. New rig.
The hull itself is not where the money is. It is in the outfitting/rigging. For instance, the number of bolts, washers, and nuts involved with putting the HDPE (teflon like pad) on the bottom is crazy. It took a lot of manhours to do that. The cage doesn't look like much, but examine the welding that goes into it and you can start to see the money is in the labor to put it all together.
Most everything on an airboat is a custom made component.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:10 am to tenfoe
quote:
There's a great deal of work that has to be done in order to take that crate engine and run it in an airboat. If you put that motor in your car you will have a transmission, and seldom get above 3500 rpm. In an airboat, you won't be switching gears, and 3500 rpm won't be enough to move the boat from a dead stop. You end up staying around 5500-6000 all day. There's a good bit of tuning involved. I think your rigging price is very low.
There is also the cost of the prop speed reducer, airplane props lose efficiency above 25-2600 RPM, so there is usually a 2:1 speed reducer between the engine and prop when using a car engine, running the engine at 5000rpm as you said keeps the prop at 2500rpm.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:20 am to EA6B
quote:
Airboats-Why Are They So Expensive?quote:There's a great deal of work that has to be done in order to take that crate engine and run it in an airboat. If you put that motor in your car you will have a transmission, and seldom get above 3500 rpm. In an airboat, you won't be switching gears, and 3500 rpm won't be enough to move the boat from a dead stop. You end up staying around 5500-6000 all day. There's a good bit of tuning involved. I think your rigging price is very low. There is also the cost of the prop speed reducer, airplane props lose efficiency above 25-2600 RPM, so there is usually a 2:1 speed reducer between the engine and prop when using a car engine, running the engine at 5000rpm as you said keeps the prop at 2500rpm.
I've always wondered how a diesel engine would work in an Airboat. Pitch the shite out of the propellor and spin it with tons of torque
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:21 am to Litigator
It's got dat big fan on de back, yeah?
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:37 am to Litigator
little gator, cawz dey be lowder dan most of de boatz, duh.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 9:57 am to Ole Geauxt
Saw one being transported through Baton Rouge yesterday. Thing was huge... two fans, around 50' long. Big enough to have a police escort.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 10:16 am to tenfoe
How does basic rigging cost so much? Skinny pedal and lever to move rudder. I am guessing the fan blade connects directly to the crank
You can get someone to write a tune into your ECU for $500.
I forgot about the Teflon hull deal, and that is probably expensive
You can get someone to write a tune into your ECU for $500.
I forgot about the Teflon hull deal, and that is probably expensive
Posted on 4/3/14 at 11:42 am to Hammertime
Hub with blades connects to a reduction unit. Cant go directly to the crank
Like the others have said, a new Robicheaux hull is about $40K
Like the others have said, a new Robicheaux hull is about $40K
Posted on 4/3/14 at 11:51 am to jaggedlp
Yeah, so the hull is the big expense. I had a buddy in HS who built one with shite he had laying around, minus the prop. 14ft flat with a 460 and homemade everything. I'm not saying it went 70, but it worked up until he ran it into a tree
Posted on 4/3/14 at 12:00 pm to Litigator
may i suggest a ATK marine 383 or 454, they are highly regarded by my friend who is in the business
Posted on 4/3/14 at 12:37 pm to TexasTiger01
quote:
I've always wondered how a diesel engine would work in an Airboat. Pitch the shite out of the propellor and spin it with tons of torque
Would probably work great, there have been some experimental diesel aircraft engines for single engine planes, the rpm range where these diesels make the most torque and horsepower is ideal for spinning a prop using direct drive.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:03 pm to Hammertime
quote:
I was under the impression that it was all in the hull. You can get a 500hp crate engine for $6500, a prop for $2500, have a cage built for the motor/fan for $1500, rigging hooked up for the engine and rudder for $500. If the rest of the cost doesn't come from the hull, where does it?
I don't think I could get the engine, blades and cage for less than 15k.
Most new airboats around here would run 30-40k. I've seen them in Florida for 15k.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 1:36 pm to RogerTheShrubber
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:02 pm to Motorboat
Yeah, I'm missing something here. There is one sitting outside of my office window right now that I would sell for 40K to the first person to show up with the cash.
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:09 pm to 34venture
I'll give you $4K
Posted on 4/3/14 at 2:11 pm to Motorboat
The lights and generator are worth that, but no way in hell its worth remotely close to 40.
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