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Airboat owners need to read #6131964 01/12/16 03:08 PM
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wal1809 Offline OP
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Especially newbies such as myself.

I had some bad luck this weekend so far as boats. To save the long version I will explain the airboat and why it failed. In the early part of the season I dragged the boat out to clean it up and prepare it for the season. As I got it fired up I noticed dirt dauber falling from under the engine and gear reduction unit. I specifically remember pulling a dauber's nest off of the belt itself.

Fast forward to this weekend. The belt imploded and I had to be towed in. I called Lone Star Boatworks and he asked if I knew why the belt broke. In doing so he explained there is ZERO tolerance for anything between the belt the pulley. He made it clear the tolerance number is .00000000 as in ZERO, nothing, nada, zip. He then mentioned dirt daubers and it hit me like a brick. I knew right then why that boat came apart.

So my fix to the dirt dauber problem will be a couple 5 foot pieces of 3/4 PVC with a 90 degree elbow with a foot long piece sticking up from that elbow. That 1 foot piece will have numerous holes drilled in it. I will fill that 1 foot piece with moth balls. When in storage I will stick that pvc up into the gear reduction unit and leave it. One on both sides should do it.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6132008 01/12/16 03:34 PM
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Dave Speer Offline
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Sneaky little turds. How far you getting on a fix? I mean have you figured out if it's something you want to tackle yourself or found any instruction on that?

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: Dave Speer] #6132043 01/12/16 03:49 PM
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wal1809 Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: Dave Speer
Sneaky little turds. How far you getting on a fix? I mean have you figured out if it's something you want to tackle yourself or found any instruction on that?


The belt is $300 ish and labor another $700. Be it the fishing boat that went down and I had fixed is now down AGAIN, I have no idea when I can get the airboat to the shop. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I have to take the Exploder back to Port Oconner on Monday. They want to take it out and see what is happening.

I am very mechanically inclined. With that being said, I am not tackling the belt. One would have to remove all seven blades and take off the bearings and remove the guts from the gear reduction unit, know what other problems to look for, know tolerances and be able to measure them. With blades being rotated by a 500 horse power motor, I have decided to leave that to a guy that knows exactly what he is doing. I can rebuild a 2 stroke motor with my eyeballs closed now, this isnt something me and old T-ro can handle ourselves.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6132073 01/12/16 04:08 PM
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garrett Offline
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its crazy to think that a dirt dobbers nest could take down something with as much power as an airboat.


Attention rickym, this is not a troll post, just a good hearted fun type of post
Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6132103 01/12/16 04:32 PM
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Even crazier to think a repair from a dirt daubers nest could cost that much $$$. Erring on the side of prudence is def smart though, I've built/rebuilt a few racing motors in my day and there's no way in hades I'd tackle a prop drive assembly on an aircraft or airboat. Too much at stake.

I've been seriously reconsidering getting an airboat to use in Rockport and thought I had my mind made up last year after having previously considered and subsequently dismissing getting one after spending a day on the water getting instruction. I've recently come full circle after a few hunts on a buddies Panther, shopping for and even checking out a couple airboats after discovering the limitations of my Sealegs.

Wal, good info to know, I'll add this one to the list in my notebook.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6132115 01/12/16 04:41 PM
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when my wife gets rich I'll buy me an airboat


Attention rickym, this is not a troll post, just a good hearted fun type of post
Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6132118 01/12/16 04:42 PM
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wal1809 Offline OP
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If you're going to get an airboat, have Lone Star build one for you. You can take a hit in the hinder real fast buying used without someone looking out for specific problems. The hulls, transom, engine, gear reduction, blades, everything needs to be checked out by your advocate, not the seller's. You are almost guaranteed to take a hit without it.

There is an outfit in Missouri that sells used airboats. He runs an environmental clean up company and has 40 plus airboats. They run the crap out of them and when the engine goes, they buy a crate motor and sell it as if it has a brand new engine. It does have a new engine but it won't last. Fortunately I posted my intentions to go look at one on the airboat forum and a guy called me. He had a come to Jesus meeting with me on the telephone. Fortunately I didn't buy that boat.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: garrett] #6132121 01/12/16 04:42 PM
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wal1809 Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: garrett
when my wife gets rich I'll buy me an airboat


When she gets rich you have to make her happy.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6132135 01/12/16 04:50 PM
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Originally Posted By: wal1809
Originally Posted By: garrett
when my wife gets rich I'll buy me an airboat


When she gets rich you have to make her happy.


so much to say here...


Attention rickym, this is not a troll post, just a good hearted fun type of post
Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: garrett] #6132160 01/12/16 05:00 PM
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Originally Posted By: garrett
when my wife gets rich I'll buy me an airboat


And she may trade you in for a late model husband smile

Wal, that's the main reason I haven't pulled the trigger on an airboat. I'm competent inspecting a motor and hull. The rest though, I'm way outta my league. And the boats I have inspected weren't worth the money.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6132265 01/12/16 06:11 PM
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Jason Allen with Lonestar is good people! Builds a hell of a boat. I watched 4 guys in one of his 18-20fter take off clear across the bay in 1-2 ft waves across 6 miles of open water and I was very impressed!


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Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: TxDuck24] #6132726 01/12/16 10:49 PM
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Originally Posted By: TxDuck24
Jason Allen with Lonestar is good people! Builds a hell of a boat. I watched 4 guys in one of his 18-20fter take off clear across the bay in 1-2 ft waves across 6 miles of open water and I was very impressed!


That is a spectacular name.


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Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6133453 01/13/16 12:20 PM
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Sounds like a good plan - just don't forget about the PVC and try to start that bad boy up!

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: oilag] #6133494 01/13/16 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: oilag
Sounds like a good plan - just don't forget about the PVC and try to start that bad boy up!

That would not be very good for resale value for sure.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6134445 01/14/16 12:53 AM
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Many years ago my dad and his cousin had to put a Piper Tri Pacer down in a plowed field. After some investigation they figured out the poor running engine was the result of dirt dobbers in the intake. Apparently they had flown hundreds of miles without issue and then all of a sudden they were looking for a place to put her down. They were in Mexico at the time and were shown some real hospitality by the locals.

.


"I wanna go fast" -Ricky Bobby

"Mind bottling isn't it?" -Chazz Michael Michaels

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Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6134932 01/14/16 11:25 AM
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At the get together we all sang kumbaya in hopes we could all get along. We missed having you there. Hope to see you there next year.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6136061 01/14/16 11:30 PM
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There is literally no such thing as zero tolerance.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6136216 01/15/16 12:54 AM
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Originally Posted By: wal1809
Originally Posted By: oilag
Sounds like a good plan - just don't forget about the PVC and try to start that bad boy up!

That would not be very good for resale value for sure.


Make sure when and if you decide to sell let me know first lol! I adore your boat hahaha. That mother is bad


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Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6136376 01/15/16 02:10 AM
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I like it too when the belt is operational.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: Limit Extender] #6136748 01/15/16 01:34 PM
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Originally Posted By: Limit Extender
There is literally no such thing as zero tolerance.


Sure there is, this is straight from Wikipedia confused2

A zero tolerance policy imposes automatic punishment for infractions of a stated rule, with the intention of eliminating undesirable conduct.[1][2] Zero-tolerance policies forbid persons in positions of authority from exercising discretion or changing punishments to fit the circumstances subjectively; they are required to impose a pre-determined punishment regardless of individual culpability, extenuating circumstances, or history. This pre-determined punishment need not be severe, but it is always meted out.

Last edited by wal1809; 01/15/16 01:52 PM.
Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6136804 01/15/16 01:57 PM
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wal1809 Offline OP
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To explain the belt drive, maybe I should have written in this manner.

The belt belt is set up with a certain amount of tension. There is zero tolerance for foreign material to enter between the belt and the pulley. Any such foreign material will result in catastrophic failure to the belt and possibly the pulleys.

Re: Airboat owners need to read [Re: wal1809] #6137794 01/15/16 11:43 PM
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I have been battling dobbers and their nests for ages.


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