Choosing an Airboat
Airboats are bought on engine noise and paint, and regretted on hull condition and rigging.
Independent guide, not a club, dealer, outfitter or agency, and not affiliated with any organisation that previously used this domain. Rules on the water change — confirm anything legal with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you run.
Hull
Most hulls are aluminium, with polymer sheeting on the bottom to slide over grass and take abuse. Check the polymer for gouges and lifting, and check the hull itself for repaired cracks around the transom and the rigging mounts. Length and width decide how the boat carries weight and how it behaves in a turn — a wider hull is more stable and slower to spin.
Engine
Two broad families. Automotive conversions are cheaper to buy and to fix, parts are everywhere, and they are heavier. Aircraft engines are lighter for the power and take a specialist to maintain. For a first boat on this water, an automotive setup from a known builder is the forgiving choice.
Propeller and gearbox
Composite propellers dominate. Check for delamination, leading-edge damage and correct track. If the boat has a reduction gearbox, ask when it was last serviced and look for oil where there should not be any.
Rigging
Look at the cage welds, the rudder linkage, the seat mounts and the fuel system. Cheap rigging is where old airboats hurt people. A boat with a tired engine and good rigging is a better buy than the reverse.
Buying used
- Run it on the water you intend to use it on, not on a lake.
- Bring someone who has rigged boats, not just driven them.
- Check registration and title match the hull, and that there is no lien.
- Budget for a trailer that suits the hull; many do not.