Hovercraft Hobby
Lift Update 2003
Home | History/Background | SunRider Project | SunRider Progress | SunRider Progressing | SunRider Almost Done | AutoCAD SunRider | Out of Storage | Hover Tours 2001 | HoverRally 2001 | Marble Lake | Lift Update 2003 | Thrust Update 2003 | Gettin Wet 2003 | Subaru Powered Thrust | Subaru Thrust Work | Briggs Intek 13.5 hp Lift Engine | HoverRally 2003 | Gun Lake 2004 | More Hovercraft's | Canadian Coast Guard | Hovercraft in Vietnam | Hover Links | Places to Visit | My Dakota | Contact Me

New Skirt and Lift Duct system

newskirt5.jpg

newskirt1.jpg

Right side, lift engine at idle.

newskirt2.jpg

Left side, lift engine at idle.

newskirt4.jpg

Right side, lift engine revved.
After re-designing the front skirt and lift duct, the skirt inflates much better and holds the air underneath much better. When I returned the lift engine to idle and started to walk towards the front of the craft, I got to the front of the trailer before the craft actually settled on the trailer.

liftempty2.jpg

I re-designed the lower lift duct to angle it at the 20 degrees at the rear that the upper duct is. It was at a 90 degree vertical that would be bad for water scooping during loss of lift power over water.

lift2.jpg

newskirt3.jpg

Left side, lift engine revved. As you can see the wrinkles are minimal.

liftempty1.jpg

Another view of the rear of the lift duct. I used 1/8" plywood and one layer of fiberglass cloth.
Time to mount the engine.

lift1.jpg

I re-designed the front skirt and lower lift duct because the skirt wasn't sealing properly and the duct was making the lift air punch a hole in the water while on the lake. It should prove much better now.