Duck and Hover

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Hovercraft: Skimming on the Surface

Hovercraft ride on a rubber-based canvas or vinyl cushion filled with air called the “skirt.” Large fans, powered by one or more engines, force about 30 percent of the air down into the skirt, inflating the cushion and lifting the craft. The other 70 percent blows backward, pushing the craft forward.

Depending on weather and water conditions, the air-cushion vehicles run at average speeds of 35 mph to 45 mph. Light recreational hovercraft can reach speeds of 70 mph. Bob Windt of Cordova, Ill., currently holds the Guinness hovercraft world speed record of 85.376 mph set in 1995.

The craft range in cost from about $3,000 for a two-passenger vehicle to $40,000 or more for a six-passenger craft. A new 15-passenger hovercraft will cost about $250,000, and the 50-plus passenger commercial crafts can cost millions.

The vessels can be made out of wood, aluminum or composite materials, but most are fiberglass designs. Typically, hovercraft are twice as long as they are wide, which helps them turn better and balance weight.
In newer hovercraft, technology has lessened the amount of propeller noise, by using bigger engines that lower the revolutions per minute. They also have enclosed fan systems.

Hovercraft run on gas or diesel fuel and, similarly to an airplane, the tank is in the center of the craft to maintain balance. Two-passenger vehicles burn 3 to 4 gallons of fuel per hour and the six-passenger craft burn between 6 and 8 gallons an hour.

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