Hovercraft questions, answered.

Yes, and better than most boats. Our craft are light and flat bottomed, and much more stable than typical boats both on and off the cushion. Three sealed compartments give the Explorer 24 5,000 lb of flotation and the Surveyor 16 1,500 lb.

A lift fan builds a cushion of pressurized air under the hull, held in by a flexible skirt. A separate propeller pushes the craft along. Because the hull rides above the surface instead of pushing through it, there is almost no wake and very little wasted energy.

Our How our hovercraft work page explains it in more detail.

The Explorer 24 cruises at 32 mph on about 3.4 gallons of diesel an hour, has an operating range of about 325 miles, and tops out at 47 mph in flat calm water. The Surveyor 16 cruises at 30 mph on about 1.6 gallons an hour, with a 40 mph top speed.

The Explorer 24 carries 12 adults or 2,400 lb, including people, fuel and gear. The Surveyor 16 carries 5 adults or 1,100 lb.

Water, ice, snow, mud, sand, rapids and shallow rivers. The Explorer 24 is rated for waves up to 4 feet, sea state 3, and is comfortable in a 2 foot chop with 20 to 25 knots of wind. It operates from -22 °F to 105 °F.

Sea conditions depend on more than wave height. Wind, current and water depth all need to be considered to decide whether the conditions suit a particular size of craft. Put simply, do not expect a hovercraft to do something that a boat of similar size or power cannot.

Yes. The Explorer 24 is built saltwater capable, with a composite hull, stainless fasteners and anodized aluminum. The Surveyor 16 has a saltwater series option that adds a stainless muffler and full engine painting.

Much quieter than most hovercraft, because a large diameter propeller uses the power efficiently. Measured at 50 feet, an Explorer 24 at cruise is about 77 dB: quieter than a riding mower or a jet ski, and far quieter than an airboat.

Brochure figures: the Explorer 24 measures 83 to 84 dBA at 82 feet over grass. The Surveyor 16 measures 78 dBA at cruise and 82 dBA at full power, at 25 meters.

Most hovercraft have no brakes. Ours do. A foot pedal at the helm opens vents in the bow skirt, which lowers the bow and lets the skirt drag on the water. The more pedal, the more drag, and fully applied the hull itself touches down. That stops the craft far better than reverse thrust.

The brake also helps in turns. With the bow held down, the rudders swing the stern around it, so the pilot can tighten a turn instead of sliding wide. At low speed, with the rudders hard over, the craft spins on its nose. See How our hovercraft work for the full explanation and video.

About 1,500 to 2,000 hours. Heat bonded urethane wear patches can extend that. Operators can carry a quick Kevlar thread repair kit for the field, and in the rare event of a large tear, make a permanent repair back at base with a hot air welder or adhesive. We make skirts in our own shop, so replacements are easy to get.

The Explorer 24 folds down to 8.5 feet wide for trailering, and we offer a galvanized ground deployment trailer. The Surveyor 16 can go on a standard bunk trailer or a ground deployment trailer. A ground deployment trailer lets you launch and retrieve where a boat trailer cannot: at a boat launch at low tide when the ramp ends in mud, on an icy ramp, or on a gravel bar. See our hovercraft trailers.

The Explorer 24 and the Surveyor 16 both carry a warranty of 2 years or 1,000 hours, whichever comes first.

Yes. We train operators at our shop, covering hands on driving and the mechanical systems, and we support our customers after delivery. Call us to talk about training at your location.

Call us for factory direct pricing, or request the brochure with pricing. It depends on the model and the options you choose. Prices are FOB Shelton, Washington and do not include shipping.

We prefer payment by wire transfer and also accept money orders. Personal checks need five business days to clear, and PayPal adds a 3% processing charge.

Yes. We carry the Sevtec plans and kit line that Barry Palmer entrusted to us in 2008, and hundreds of parts including skirts, hulls, fans, propellers and ducts. The Surveyor 16 is also available as a kit. Kits range from plans and parts to a nearly finished craft, so call us to work out the kit that fits your build. See hovercraft-kits.com and our kit builds.

Yes. We offer hovercraft repair, parts, custom and refit work, and consulting. Call with the details of your craft.

A manufacturer’s certificate of origin with our US Coast Guard manufacturer identification code, plus a VIN and certificate of origin for the trailer.