The Hull

This page points out some of the items that are apart of the external hull, and not so much of the hull itself.

Landing skids and external Stringers The landing skids were made from 10' 2'X4' 's, shaped to match the contour of the craft.  The landing skids were screwed and bonded to the main support stringers on the bottom of the craft. I recessed the countersink for the screws deep enough so that I could back fill the screw hole with epoxy filler, then sanded the filler smooth. The external stringers were install almost the sameway as the landing skids. However, I screwed the external stringers from inside the craft. The external stringers were cut from treated lumber and add substantial strenght to the bottom of the craft.

Skirt Tack Strips The tack strips were cut from 20' lenghts of clear fir. I have had them laying on my garage floor for a little over a year and there still stright as a string! At least three coats of epoxy resin will be applied to the tack strips, external stringers, and landing skids to protect them from water damage.

Tack strips installed!

This is an image of one out of the two bilge pumps that I installed  just fwd of rib #7 on the left and right sides of the craft. The pumps are rated for 500 gal/min. and are very light weight. I purchased the pumps from good ole Wal-Mart for around $10.00 each. The same pump is featured in a marine catolog for about $14.00 not including shipping. Wal-Mart also stocks the drain tubing.

Positive floatation a necessary evil! Yes it is a great idea, the evil here is what material to use with a wooded craft. Milk jugs? I don't think so, inflatable gizmos, ok I guess if you don't mind having the fill stems sticking  through the hull, not very attractive. Whats left? Foam.. Hummm. as everyone knows some foams retain moisture. Not a good thing laying next to a wooded hull, and the added weight of water, not a good thing for a hover. So I decided to use liquid foam, poured in a foam form. The interior of the hull has two good coats of epoxy resin applied. I left enough room around the forms to allow some air flow in hopes of keeping thing a little dryer. Between the lift duct and positive floatation, I used 32 cu./ft of foam. If this hover takes on water It should stay afloat!

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