VW

PILOTS WANTED

22ft Explorer

Rediscover boating with the unique mobility of a hovercraft!

Base price: $85,000 Options (add to base price)   Saltwater series: includes all necessary upgrades for saltwater use $5,500 Backlit Digital Tachometer (includes installation) $380 Skirt Colors (gray is stock) $231 Hypalon Skirt $4,600 Fly-on/off trailer $6,900 Bunk trailer $3,800 Cockpit and windshield can be designed to meet customer specifications.

Click here to read about our warranty.

Call (360) 426-3170 to order

** None of the prices listed above include shipping and handling.  ** We accepts payments in the form of check or money orders. We will accept payment through Pay Pal but a 3% charge of the total order will be added for processing. ** Prices are subject to change.

[Home] [Vanguard 14] [Explorer 22] [Photos/Videos] [Contact Us]

Copyright 1997-2008

 Hovercraft are more environmentally friendly, because they don't leave a wake that disturbs fragile sea beds or trails on land

• Hovercraft can go where traditional cars and boats can't - from land to water and back
• Hovercraft are not as loud as you'd think - new technology has lowered noise levels
• Hovercraft have a wider beam (width) than traditional boats, so they are more spacious and  comfortable than boats
• Hovercraft fly over the waves rather than through them, so they offer a smoother ride than conventional boats

Efficient, quiet and fast amphibious people mover - the Explorer carries passengers in air-conditioned safety and comfort in all weathers. Rugged and reliable, the Explorer is ideal for tourist trips, commuter travel and rescue work.

Hot Points

• Complete fibreglass shell
• All weather air-conditioned comfort
• Petrol or diesel engine
• Efficient amphibious transporter
• Advanced propulsion technology
• Low maintenance and planning costs

Just finished the cock pit: Photo

Hovercraft project:

 The picture here is what inspired me to want an explorer. I'm usually the guy anchored about 150ft in front of this craft getting my ass thrown around all night in shitty winds. In my boat of course. The craft in the picture is owned by Bryan Phillips and the original north to Alaska craft. My explorer is  the same but with a blue skirt.  Check out Bryans web page he has great parts or whole crafts. www.amphibiousmarine.com

Watch this kick ass video of Bryan in his explorer. (PLAY VIDEO) You just have to have one of these. Fuel economy like a car. Load carrying like a truck. Cruising like a helicopter. Dinner/fishing at the marina like a boat. Having a another boat follow you up on shore, PRICELESS!

Do you belong to the yahoo sevtec sevtalk group. You should, get your butt over there and sign up. This group is for the builders and fans of the Sevtec line of homebuilt hovercraft. It is intended for discussion of issues specific to the building and enjoyment of sevtec type hovercrafts.

Albert Allen told me this:

I can tell you that when I had the craft operating it was very stable to fly. I also was able to get it up to 69.3kph (gps true in perfect conditions) at it’s best speed but it was a little light in the front end and don’t recommend operating above 60mph.

Great hover craft photo at the langley hover in 2002

Shiny and brand new

 Okay a little switch up on the engine. Decided to galvanize coat all the motor parts. Give it a full marinization. In the process I have been struggling with the 1.6 liter. We get 63hp on the dyno for a basic stock dual port and about 55hp on a single port engine. I really want to be in the 80 hp range.  I know will have to do something after it's flying to boost it up a bit but not much.

 So were going to build another motor from the ground up and powder the parts. I just ordered a set of 94MM pistons and cylinders and a new carb. Will use a stock 69mm crank. Will cut the engine case and heads to fit the new bigger jugs (cylinders). Since were not turning a lot of RPM will retain the stock heads and slap a 3 angle grind on the heads. As well as the pict 34mm single carb from a 71 or later bug. They just work well without any hassles. If i need a touch more power I can add another pict 34 carb and go with dual carbs. But only If i need it. 

Set the compression ratio at or below 9 to 1 (cheap gas).  I'll pick out a nice tri mill header set up after the motor goes on the engine stand.  With the 94mm pistons and 69mm crank stroke will have 1915cc to work with.  I have a nice quite muffler set up I am hoping to use. The goal is to make it stealth quite with plenty of power to keep up with the 1.8 soobs.

 For those of you that may consider a VW air cooled engine.  I hope you would. It has many advantages and fits the application almost to well. You can build a 1.9 liter with a stock crank and rods. With just a little machine work that any machine shop will do fairly cheap you can have a 1915cc motor that is very reliable.

Also if you are not a VW guy. Start with a new engine they dont need much but oil changes and valve adjustments and for a few extra dollars when you buy the motor they can install a hydraulic cam and lifters. Really it's just like having a briggs or kohler and about the same price.

 No doubt it will be easier build without having to install a cooling system. You can use the oil cooler for the heater core. You drop a good deal of weight without anti freeze and or the extra parts. Let alone a water pump or hose failure. Not that it really happens but it could. I should'nt say that without saying a cooling system is not a issue hoses last ten years and water pumps go 90k miles anymore with out issues. 2500hrs on a engine is equal to about 150k miles which is not a issue for any motor anymore.

 Your local Japanese shop may not want to work on your soob but your local VW guys have been working on engines on all types of crafts, motor cycles, air planes, air boats etc etc. They love this stuff. Just something to think about if your not a engine guy it would be nice to drop it off for a tune up or whatever and not have to worry about some mechanic giving you the goofy look like your carzy for even asking about a oil change. I was a service writer and shop owner for a long time so I know what I'm talking about here. In my experince I have found VW mechanics to be a lot more open to motors being in odd machines. This is important if you are not the mechanic. Besides maintence is cheap, so why put yourself through the hassle of working on it when the pros will do a fine job. I bet $150 will cover maintence at your local shop for a whole year. How many hours do you think it will be flown? Aircrfat average 50 hours on the high end. Do the math 50 hrs is about 3 thousand miles a year on a car. So at 50 hrs a year and a engine that will go a full 2500hrs to replacement your good for 50 years.

Seriuolsy don't over think the engine part of your build. Put on the recommended HP which is very low add a touch for the craft picking up some extra weight itself over the years from extra gear and go with it.

Just a little more on craftt hours a year. I come from th airplane side. Most people think they fly about five times more hours than they really do. One summer I flew almost every day in the morning and evening. It was an addiction. That year I flew 354 hours logged in my book. I would be gone for hours but you can't count lunch at another airport. Nor can you count sitting in your hover fishing. Just running time. Think about it your run for an hour your 30 miles away thats a long ways boating. Unless your Ken from HOVER CRAFT ALASKA  and you troll for salmon in your craft.

My point is the engine is really the less critical part of the build. By a name brand engine what ever it may be. Follow the plans so it all works well. Spend the other money on a good life jacket and marine radio so you can talk with other boats and your friends.

I have a A/C system off a late model Honda Civic 2003 model. It's a really nice system very small and light weight. With the heat exchanger radiator mounted inside the lift fan bay I expect it to work very well. The dune buggies guys have been using power steering for years and the weld a brackt to the existing power alternator generator tower and install the steering pump like it was made for it.  I'll do the same for the A/C pump while adding a small jack screw adjuster like the V belt Japanse Cars used before going to serpintine belts. I'll put this on after the craft has a few hours and everything else is functioning. I'm really not expecting this to be much of a issue. I will put it on a thermostat that is hooked to just a standard toggle switch in the dash. A cheapo way to have climate control.

Took the fuel system out today. Here are some picts  Started scrubbing the hull out with soap and water. A few years of setting really adds to the clean up. You'll see a bell housing peice they had on the old ea82 soob if you need one of these for your craft let me know you can have it for the shipping. Hate to throw it away but it wont work with my set up. Photos

Flywheel adapter to pulley building pictures. More work than I ever thought it would be. The extra holes on the plate were to bolt the plate to the machine so that it could be machined. It turned out very nice. Also turned the shaft end down for the crank shaft input bearing. PHOTOS

here are a few more pictures of the plate pulley flywheel gland nut and the lightened flywheel. next off to the balancing shop. Photos

Bearings installed on pillow blocks. The bearings have a chemical resistant coating that will keep the salt away from the metal. photos

Core-Cell

Core-Cell® is the leading structural foam core material, which has become widely accepted for the construction of large, high performance structures.

Single skin laminates, made from glass, carbon or other fibres, are strong and can bend without cracking, but are not always stiff, due to their relatively low thickness. A structural foam cored composite solution provides the stiffness that laminates need without unnecessary weight. Core-Cell product range provides increased levels of performance, strength, structural integrity and comfort, unmatched by any other core material. Suitable for a wide range of demanding structural applications (such as yachts and modern wind turbines) and different composite manufacturing processes, Core-Cell is fully compatible with polyester, vinylester, and epoxy resins, as well as all commonly used epoxy prepreg systems.

Core-Cell offers:

• Stiffness and strength
• Very high toughness and impact resistance
• Excellent fatigue strength
• Sound and thermal insulation
• No outgassing
• No inhibition
• Highly thermoformable
• Easy to cut, sand and shape

Core-Cell A Grade is a linear polymer foam that is non-friable, tough, rigid, and has a closed-cell structure. Core-Cell foams are used as structural sandwich core materials and provide low weight, excellent stiffness, and structural integrity under dynamic loads. Core-Cell foams have high shear elongation and impact strength. The insulation values are constant over time due to a controlled CFC-free foaming process. Core-Cell foams do not outgas. Core-Cell foams are compatible with polyester, vinylester, and epoxy resins.

Core-Cell P Grade: For prepreg and postcure applications, where 80-90 degree cure prepregs are being used. This core offers the same characteristics as the A grade but more heat stability in processing and application.

Core-Cell S: a rigid structural foam based on SAN (Styrene Acrylo-Nitrile) polymers. Developed primarily to resist hydrostatic pressures in sub-sea applications. Core-Cell S is manufactured in seven densities ranging from 100 to 400 kg/m3 (6 - 24 lbs/ft3) Buoyancy modules can therefore be designed to specific depths, ranging from approximately 60 to 1,300 meters (200 to 4,000 ft.). HCP is the Hydraulic Crush Point, defined in bar. It is the point where, at a pressure of 1-2 bar/second, the material has lost 5% of its volume.

Core-Cell T: a closed-cell, modified SAN (Styrene Acrylo-Nitrile) foam with excellent rigidity, thermal stability above ambient temperatures, and chemical resistance. Core-Cell T foams are used as structural sandwich core materials and provide low weight and excellent stiffness. The insulation values are constant over time due to a controlled CFC-free foam process. Core-Cell T foams are compatible with polyester, vinylester, and epoxy resins. For prepreg applications, process temperatures up to 100ºC -120ºC can be used.

C-MAT and Bead and Cove core are also available. Please contact our customer services for more information.

Technical Sheets

	CORE-CELL® A LINEAR STRUCTURAL FOAM Acrobat PDF File | Size: 28k | Click here to download
	CORE-CELL® P STRUCTURAL FOAM Acrobat PDF File | Size: 113k | Click here to download
	CORE-CELL® S RIGID STRUCTURAL FOAM Acrobat PDF File | Size: 21k | Click here to download
	CORE-CELL® T STRUCTURAL FOAM Acrobat PDF File | Size: 21k | Click here to download
To save the PDF to your computer, please right-click (PC) or control-click (Mac) the link on your mouse. Select the option to 'Save to...'

Started on the motor mount section today. I will say right off I am changing the plans a touch. As I start out my only intention is to make the cross bar that is bolted to the lift fan bearings part of the motor mount. as well as this is where any supports for a cage around the prop will come into. In the plans this stuff just bolted to the hull. Not much of a plan change. Photos

Sand blasted the lift fan hubs today and will powder coat them tomorrow. Photos

Powder coated the hubs today. Will pick up the new stainless hardware at fastenall tomorrow to put the hubs back together. Also I will paint the lift fan hubs. I blasted them yesterday to get the spray paint off them I have not decided on a blade color yet.

Painted the multiwing blades today . Used the Fusion Krylon paint. Heated the plastic blades in the powder coat oven slightly and sprayed them right in the booth with fans on. Looks like it fused well, now all thats left is to pick up the stainless hardware for the hubs and put them together. I really feel like these hubs are up to a aircraft/marine standard now. You will see during this build all the components will be taken to a higher level  than the plans if there is a possible increase in craft life or easier maintence. 

Just a note while I'm thinking about it. You really should budget 20k for this build. Really about this size boat with enough power to go this fast with this type of fuel range should be 60k 100k for some thing nice. Be honest when choosing a craft four or  five years and  $500.00 a month for the whole time  can be a lot. Just the trailer I built was a good deal and I started with a old trailer and rebuilt everything which took way to much time. I still spent 2500.00 or so on it. Personally I would plan on spending more so you can out source more of the build and get flying sooner.

Time for a quik update. Got the lower angle pieces cut and drilled today that the drive is built on that bolts to the hull. The motor is not ready to go on but it looks like I have another to use for a mock up. "Tomorrow i shoul have some vdeo on the small amount of progress i have made. feels like its about to all kick back into gear.

Okay its been a few days since the last update. I've got a lot done. here is a video of my clutch I am adding that is not in the plans. VIDEO

 I brain stormed the idea of a auto tensioning belts that could be removed quickly like a serpentine belt on a car. I through it out on the chat list and no one had any solid ideas. So I decided the best thing is to just install the clutch so that I have total control over the drive and when were camping on the beach we can run the craft for power and hot water. I think this is the safest bet by far to just clutch the entire drive and eleminate all moving blades from the picture. It will be much more quite as well this way for camping purposes.

Started on the motor thrust drive itself to day. Started getting the engine I have mocked up for the build in position. With out a oil pan there sure is a lot of room under the craft compared to say a soob. I think I may build a sump for it like a plane has and lenghten the suction pipe for the oil pump. Add another gallon of oil. I read the additional three quart sump on a engine that runs less than 4k rpm can almost double its life. So why not can't hurt. VIDEO

Also the correct steering helm finally got built and shipped. I will do that install after the thrust mount and the engine runs I think or in less i have to wait for a part for some reason and I have some down time.

Okay i've been seriuosly putting in a lot hovercraft building hours and trying to video tape as i go. for updates go to my video page and click on yahoo videos i made and you will see the build videos in order through yahoo. email me if you have questions.

Okay I have now built the motor mount and almost to the point of making the rudders. I'm doing the half cage around the prop. It's been argued that a whole cover is better for keeping out of the river over hangs of branches. It may be so I just don't like the air boat look and can't imagine whay were building for the everglades swamps here in washington state?

If I were starting a fresh build I would use a toyota  v-8 and go to 26ft. Step up and buy a good prop for that much power. Build a large cabin enclosed and the back half open for sitting out. Whats another $10K when its all done.

I can't wait to get the CG set up and see where its at. As soon as the mounts are done I'll pull them off and put a coat of primer and paint on then willl go put 20 to 50 hours on it and get all the bugs worked out. Most likley just out on the lake so we have some control and a margin of safety. After that it all gets galvanized.

Get over to my videos and check out the progress. Just starting to do the rudder attachment tubes. Looks like the rudders are going to be very slop free. Should be very nice for the auto pilot. Nothing helps trim a craft for straight and level flight like a tight linkage system.

Got the windsheild installed tonight will have a new video up tomorrow of it.

Okay I ditched the plate to flywheel. Installed a clutch system on the drive pulley. Now I have control over lift and thrust. Not seperatly but together. Now I can park on the beach and disengage all the blades whiles still having the motor running. With this set up I can run the a/c listen to the radio. All with the outside of the craft being perfectly safe and not having to worry about someone being injured by spinning blades. Also I won't  have the craft floating around or trying to move which is convient as well as safer. I am expecting this single one feature change to alloy the build to take itself a little closer to what I call a 3D craft which can go in any direction under full control.

Got the exuast header built and muffler installed I'll post a pix here of it as soon as I get them loaded. Looks very cool and out of the way. I think you'll like the design. Once again I brought in a professional to make it the best it could be.