# Airboat ,the waterbug



## Dang Dawg

Still working.
I went as far s I can on the boat port for a wail.
I did not go calling and the lawn did not need to be messed with.
Water bug time.
My buddy and I welded up some of the motor platform but did no get it welded to the boat.
I added some Pillars to disperse the weight , not welded in yet. I used a hole saw and cut the Sq tubing and drove it in , should hold better then just welded to the out side.









A VW motor mounts only to the transaxle so no actual motor mounts. I mane one . the motor will set on it and I'll bolt it on with the 2 studs on the front of the motor under the front pulley.










Then I plan on having a heave "L" bracket from the trany bell housing mount holes to the front of the motor mount.


















The oil sump is in the very bottom of the case I had to cut a hole to change the oil.










Now I need more welding...


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## glenway

Wondering if the motor is stock or if it has been massaged at all. Those things can really be wound up but there's always that trade-off with durability. I wouldn't be attaching any wings on that jewel, either.

Do you keep track of man hours and out-of-pocket expenses? I've been involved in a few restorations (one currently) and tend not to want to know that stuff. You just keep going 'till you get there.

Are there any licensing requirements or safety standards imposed by state officials?

Good luck with your invention!


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## Dang Dawg

No regulations here, no air pollution stuff either.

I have it licensed and titled and have a CG placard.

Kinda self regulating, it works or you die I guess.

It is a stock 1600cc 1971 used single carb bug motor.

New it had 60 hp. at sea level at 3000 rpm.

Up here used If I get 50 I'll be a happy boater.

I never wright any cost or man hours down , the wife may find out just how much

she is paying for my airboat.

It's been over a year now and still a lone way from finished.

I do think I'm just shy of 2 grand so far.

I have a 3 blade fiber prop for it when it's time .

No wings but it should fly


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## murphyranch

And if I had a boat I'd go out on an ocean, and if I had a pony, I'd ride upon my boat.


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## hassell

Thanks for the update.


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## youngdon

murphyranch said:


> And if I had a boat I'd go out on an ocean, and if I had a pony, I'd ride upon my boat.


Lyle Lovett?


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## 220swift

Lyle Lovett first recorded in 1987

sometime later:






Karen Elson also recorded around 2014


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## Dang Dawg

Today I did a Major test . A+!!!!!
1971 VW bug 1600cc undetermined mileage motor.
This set in a shed for maybe 30 years. I Got a new carb at amazon ( still factory settings ),
New coil, plugs wires points and condenser. I set the valves and point with a feeler gauge ,remember them ?a year ago I had it running on the ground for like 5 minutes for the first test of the clutch adaptor that I had made. It failed in moments. I redesigned and had it fabbed up again, This time with a carrier bearing and a shaft that went in to the piolet bearing in the crank. I Have not ran it since. I built the hull made the motor mounts and finally mounted it on the boat.
Made a mount for the carrier bearing re did the starter to fit.
It is About a year later. Today I needed to start it up and see if my primary clutch off the 1969 Johnson snowmobile would even work.




























https://s26.postimg.org/a98rms489/101_2934.jpg

Dang! I put the fuel line in to a gas can and hit the starter. A dozen turns and she came to life. I have not put a timing light on it yet but it ran very smooth from, 800 rpm (Idle) after the electric choke came all the way off , to 5000 rpm ( as fast as I wanted to turn it unloaded). As stated in the information I could find on the clutch It engaged at 1700rpm and at 3100 rpm was fully moved in for the reduction change. Everything sounded smooth and solid. I ran it for a half hour or so at 2500 rpm. I still have to do some work on my temp and oil psi gauges apparently, but the oil on the dip stick was still cool to the touch. NICE!

Next to mount the secondary clutch, and see if that part works as expected !!!


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## youngdon

Awesome ! I see you skimming across the water soon.


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## glenway

Sure is a good feeling to get the old engine running smoothly after all that work.

Once you get all the "bugs" worked out, you may want to consider an electronic ignition conversion.

I have a few old vehicles and the best thing I ever did was to convert them to electronic ignition. No more points and condenser to fail. Better start-ups, because the spark is better.

I see PerTronics makes a relatively inexpensive kit for the old VWs: http://www.jbugs.com/category/vw-electronic-ignition.html


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## Dang Dawg

Headers on the bug.
With the new little welder I'm plugging along.

I made some headers for the bug motor.

The easiest way was to use the existing pipes and ad

crisscross Pipes. They point out to the side right now but will

point to the back, I have the mufflers from the "Johnson" jammed on now and they make the bug quite quiet. I'll work with them .

I did some digging and found out I have my distributor "Plumed" wrong.

When I got the carb I used the vacuum lines that where on the old one, used them by size and they seamed to work.

But on a VW they put vacuum on both sides of the advance diagram

and I had them backwards. AND come to find out In my application , I need to uncap one and leave it to atmosphere and plug it at the carb. Then , this is odd, I have to find TDC of #1 mark the pulley where you time it from mark the Degrees to 28*.

Run the motor up to 3500 rpm and set the mark to 28* Above TDC. I also found out an old fashioned distributor with mechanical weights would be the best in my application.

I'll have to look in to that if I cant get it to 28*.
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## hassell

Thanks for the update, Daytona is just around the corner for you.


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## 220swift

Thanks for the progress update, should be quite a craft when finished,


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## Dang Dawg

Ok !
I re plumbed the distributor as directed, and left off and plugged the second Vacuum line.
I used a * print out , worked great.
I found TDS on #1 marked it and took off the prop.
I fired it up with the timing light on it.
Ran it up to 3500 rpm and twisted the distributor till I hit
the stud that was used to hold the old manual fuel pump( I have it capped off ) and use an electric fuel pump.Not quite to the 28* mark with the vacuum line off as needed .
I was able to cut the stub off some to let the distb. turn farther.
I set it to 28* clamped it down, and put the vac line back on.
Put the prop back on and...
PERFICT!!! I now have enough HP to turn the prop up to the required 3100rpm.
That's all ,but it is right on 3900 rpm on the motor and holds . Nice.
I have a very short Video of the boat moving , on the snow.
Still lots of work to do like some way to steer , cage ext...






http://


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## hassell

Looking real good, steer it like on the dogsleds !!


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## catcapper

Yep--- that's gonna get it--- looks like the bug is gonna cook right along. :thumbsup:

awprint:


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## glenway

Too dang cool!


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## youngdon

Awesome.


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## Dang Dawg

Started the cage for the prop and drive.





































I'll have three "Hoops" I want to cover the drive unit too as well as the prop.

I'll have a removable screen over the motor also .

I gave 2 1/2 inches for movement and in the event I go with a bigger prop If I hop the bug up.

That gives me 3" to spare to get out of the shop I may not be able to get it under the boat port on a trailer, Dang it.


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## glenway

Looking good!


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## hassell

Looking good, don't need a bigger prop - just one with a different pitch - same idea as with outboard motor props - just another idea.


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## Dang Dawg

Always talk about prop size and pitch.

I can't turn much more pitch with the HP and torque I have .

But could turn a little larger prop with a twitch less pitch.

Big propeller gives you more push per Sq inch , like a larger caliber/ hydraulics.

More SQ inches same HP pre Sq inch.

BUT you cant turn it as fast , the tips can not exceed the speed of sound or it will erode your tips and become fouled by the other blade/ blades.

Then there is 3/ 4/5/ 6 blades all have there advantages and disadvantages .

At least that's what I think I have read...

Makes my head hurt.


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## hassell

Ya I hear you there, you might as well go all out and go variable pitch.


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## Dang Dawg

> Ya I hear you there, you might as well go all out and go variable pitch


I Have a Composite 3 blade 59" prop that I can change pitch blocks .

A true Variable pitch prop like on a plane is thousands of dollars.

I have # 10 blocks now I may get a set of #11 or #12's But I want to try it on the water first and see


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## hassell

Ya I know they are costly and beyond most people's budget, I had a fixed pitch prop on my plane and have flown a few with variable pitch which were nice but beyond my budget also. A very interesting project you're doing.


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## Dang Dawg

Ailerons

Un like most small airboats I plan on running "Dry" and on Ice a lot.
I need to be able to adjust the attitude of the boat differently then on water.
Here is my plan. "Ailerons".
I'm going to pit 3 small ones before the rudders, to lift the front or back depending what I need.
Remember "work in progress "


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## hassell

On air boats isn't the longitudinal pitch controlled by engine power - just wondering.


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## Dang Dawg

Some of it.

Still have to "point" the thrust in the right attitude to plane .


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## Dang Dawg

[size:14pt]I needed some U joints for the steering on the waterbug.

There like $30 each on the computer, I need three.

They turn slow and only one revolution so I did not need precision just flex to change sides of the boat with My tubing. They fit over the 1" tubing I'm using.

Handle bars will turn a drum with cables to the tubing shaft.

The shaft will run the length of the boat to the back.

Then a drum back there too with cables to the steering arms on the rudders .

Closer by the day...


















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## youngdon

Knowing how to fabricate is a huge money saver.


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## Dang Dawg

There not shinny or even purity but they should work fine


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## youngdon

Necessity is the mother of invention, lack of finances is the sister of creativity.


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## Dang Dawg

Well
At long last I have steering for the waterbug.
Still needs adjusting and cable tightening.
I'll get some pics and maybe a Video up this week.


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## hassell

Sounds great.


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## Dang Dawg

Not in the water yet but if it was I could turn it now...


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## youngdon

Nice work ! Thats pretty awesome, can't wait to see it in the water.


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## glenway

Going in the right direction. Or, the left.


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## Dang Dawg

Working on the accelerator. On a VW motor single carburetor the butterfly leavers need about 3" of movement.
I'm trying to use the thumb leaver off the snowmobile or maybe the brake lever but they only give me about an inch
of movement. I have tried serval "Bell crank" set ups with out any luck.
Finally, I think I'm on the right track. It's a leaver and pully set up to Pull from the back of the butterfly linkage.
If I use the long part of the leaver to actuate the butterfly and WAY down near the bottom for the thumb leaver cable.
I Think I will need to use the hand brake leaver to get enough leverage to open it with only one hand.
Now I have to think of a way to mount the cable to the motor somehow/ somewhere .
It's been a few weeks of trial and error . I need to get past this and start the trailer.


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## youngdon

Good luck on your effort. Ever thought of a boat throttle ? I have no clue as to if it would work for you or not but just a thought.


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## hassell

youngdon said:


> Good luck on your effort. Ever thought of a boat throttle ? I have no clue as to if it would work for you or not but just a thought.


 Good one Don, as I was thinking about his problems I thought about the same thing. We used that type when we hooked up 2 Alpine Ski- do (double tracks) together in order to run both machine throttles plus the trans. linkage.


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## Dang Dawg

I really want to run the accelerator with my hand or thumb no the handlebars the we are using to steer.


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## youngdon

You'd have to severely modify any existing thumb or twist grip throttles that I am aware of. I wonder if Glen (glenway)would have some ideas.


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## hassell

Memory ! We used the boat linkage to control the forward - reverse, replaced the tillitson (sp) carbs with mikuni (sp) carbs as they were less finicky, used the regular cable and casing (home made) and hooked it up to the regular thumb lever, a bit of fine tuning but finally worked out the bugs. 17 1/2 ft. long that machine was -- a site to see but an incredible trail breaker.


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## glenway

Beyond me without being there and having some time to ponder it with my fabricator pal, MT. Sounds like Hassell has more than a notion.


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