Features and Options

Thrust system comprising: Twin 39" (990 mm) ducted, twelve blade fans with air-straightener arrays driven by Goodyear Eagle Kevlar-core Vee tooth cog belts; ten cable-operated air rudders and removable fanguards. Hydraulically controlled splitter plates with handle bar mounted electric push button switches allowing variable lift / thrust settings for speed and cushion control on the move. Electronic displays on instrument panel show position of splitters.

Integrated lift and thrust air system with Hypolan^® skirts, rear mounted drag flap, six hardened aluminum replaceable skid rails. Kevlar bottom hull made of hand lay-up woven roving plus sealed polyurethane foam liner with high freeboard sides.

Woven roving fiberglass inner hull with glossy gelcoat finish. Flat cockpit floor 5 x 15 feet (1.5 x 4.5 m) overall with 18 inch (45 cms) high cockpit sides. All-weather windshield comprising rigid fiberglass, gelcoat structure with large curved windshield, two side windows with short roof; plus windshield wiper and washer system.

Steering and Stopping: Hydraulically controlled multi-bladed shutters combined with splitters provide deflection of the thrust air into the thrust system for stationary hovering and stopping. Steering is provided by 10 full length rudder blades cable controlled from the handle bar which also mounts the control buttons for the splitters and the stationary hover louvers. The fans generate 600 lbs (270 kg) of forward thrust.

Air-cushion system: Skirt length below hull structure is 12 inches (30 cms). Seventy-six separate skirt segments. Hypalon^® skirts with 250 lbs (113 kg) breaking strain Deltec^® ties. Heavy-duty 55 inch (140 cms) rear drag flap.

Fuel System: Two 15 US gallon (56 l) painted aluminum fuel tanks. Dual electric fuel pumps; water separator fuel filter; dual external fuel filler caps; dual fuel gauges.

Electric System: Twelve volt twin 875 cca maintenance-free batteries with 90 amp alternator; dual duct-mounted strobe lights and USCG navigation lights. Dual 2000 gph (7500 l/hr) bilge pumps.

Seating: Transverse mounted 3 person box seat with snap on cushion seat for pilot plus two crew members.

Instruments: tachometer, voltmeter, fuel gauges, engine oil pressure gauge; coolant temperature gauge, hydraulic louver position displays; hourmeter.

DRILL MOUNTING: Special 2 x 3 inch (5 x 7.6 cms) aluminum angle underfloor reinforcements mounted on stringers to give added rigidity to the hull structure; rectangular heavy aluminum mounting plate to support the drill. Centrally located 6 ½ inch drill hole through the bottom hull fully sealed against water entering the hull. Complete with removable cap for use when craft is in motion. Twenty gallon underfloor hydraulic oil tank for operating drill.

MULTI-SONIC Core Drill hydraulically driven by counter-rotating cams and capable of producing 15,000 lbs. (6,800 kg) of centrifugal force at 220 Hz vibration.   The drill is capable of recovering at least 100 feet (30 m) of NQ core in 5 foot (1.5 m) sections. It should be capable of conversion to rotary coring if necessary. The multi-sonic drill is fabricated from light but strong alloys wherever possible to save weight and ergonomically designed for operations on limited deck space.  The mast of the drill tilts horizontally to the front for transport between drilling sites and over the road.

Accessories and Safety Equipment:

Two fire extinguishers, two bilge pumps; two grapple poles, two inch square mesh fanguards; hinged engine cover, emergency tool kit; hovercraft operator’s manual; parts manual, engine and engine parts manuals; sonic drill manual, USCG capacity plate; safety decals. Survival suits, intercom system, radio, GPS, antennae, etc. available upon request.

Performance:

• Hovercraft Dry Weight: 2,700 lbs. (1,225 kg)
• Hovercraft Payload (with MetaDrill): 2,000 lbs. (907 kg)
• Hovercraft Cruise Speed: 35 mph (56 kph)