skirt material

Hovernorth · Site Admin

I live in Siberia Russia with weather similar to you'rs in Alaska.
What material would you recomend for the skirt.?
Thank You, Jack Arbuckle

Hovernorth · Site Admin

C.J,
I need to know what kind of craft you need the material for? I know nothing of your project, but might be able to help?
We are using Nylon Reinforced rubber coated 18oz on the Sevtec surveyor, vanguards. On the larger craft with loop/segments the material can be from 18oz up to 35oz! Any of the colors works fine. Does not have to be black, Most all the colors cost the same.
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CEO, Hovercraft Alaska

Hovernorth · Site Admin

Ken,
I am building a 16ft single engine Sevtec Surveyor. This will be to print, haha or as close as I can get.
Do you have any sugestions or changes that might help me.
I also run into bad quality materials and have had to import all
Thank You for you're time.
Jack Arbuckle, Novosibirsk, Russia

Hovernorth · Site Admin

CJ,
The skirt material that Barry sells works fine for the conditions. Use no less than 24hp for your power plant. You will find over time with dust and water the B chives will wear to the point that the A type belt will bottom out. At that point you rely on tension to keep the belt from slipping. Get a B belt to replace the A belt for future use. I went to the B belt and it works wonders, no slipping in icy conditions because it contacts the chive positively on both sides.
In the picture I color coded what I did to help with trouble shooting down the line. These are simple fixes.
Orange (rudders) I replaced Barry's composite with aluminum stop sign two of them! They are lighter by a pound and catch the slip stream of the prop much better for low and slow turns, a big help when overloaded. (see my front page, and you can see in the header how far back the sign impacts the slip steam. I have put this hovercraft through some real nasty stuff, overhangs, white water, and had no problems with the rudders, They are not balanced as there is no need to, there is not enough prop wash that you cant over come it with a bit of force easily.
Dark blue lines, I added another set of aluminum angle to the inboard side of the outboard skids. This gives me anchoring point inside the craft and give more structural integrity to the deck.
Blue sides, I stapled crate paper over the area that is to use the aircraft fabric. I then fiberglassed over that and it has held up well for 3 years so far. It is flexible and fixable.
Green, I centered the steering station, it is awkward for such a small craft, you will be adjusting your self alone to the center anyway. The steering station will the be offset and mostly uncomfortable.
Red, I turned the engine 180 degrees from what is in the plans, it moves the CG forward a bit , but not noticeable, the big advantage is much easier to change the belt, and gives you more room to work in that area of the pulley.

Well I hope this helps you some. I have other tricks up my sleeve also!
Ken

Hovernorth · Site Admin

Ken,
It looks like we got you're weather here in Siberia, Temps down to -40f at night and a high of -35f,,
I like the idea of the rudders made from stop signs, but a problem here, I would have to take them from the streets, unable to buy here, of course the way they drive STOP means nothing, hahaha.
Now would it be possible to build from alum. sheet or to buy them from you, ready to put on.
I also would like to purchase a complete skirt assembled as well.
If you can do this let me know price FOB.
Stay warm, hahaha
Later, Jack

Hovernorth · Site Admin

CJ,
You guys use titanium over there, like we use aluminum over here. A couple pieces of that would work fine? Can you e-mail or call street maintenance for used ones? Not sure what you would call them? Yes you can cut them from aluminum sheet also!
If I cut and made a bag for you it would not fit, you would be modifying considerably. If you want to buy one complete and try it, Amphibious Marine, or Sevtec should have one available. We have tried this with all the other ones machines at one time or another, about 18 of them. The bag never fit right from one to the other because each builder builds a little bit different.If you can not get a bag for your surveyor we can come up with one for you.
Just trying to save ya some expense with experience, the old adages, "there is always a way to skin the cat", "if a man builds it a man can fix it".
Ken