PM Hovercraft Technology

PM Hovercraft Technology Build it yourself state of the art sport hovercraft

22/03/2025

We were running downwind and the chop kept increasing. I pulled out my phone and started the video. It's surprising that I got any vision at all, it was so rough. Unfortunately my fingers kept straying over the lens.
Note how the front fingers are occasionally swept under the craft, but it just keeps going, punching through the small waves.

15/03/2025

On a tour of Lake Illawarra with Owen Ellis and Keith Oakley

21/08/2024

Some great video by Hover NQ of PMX7 segments in action

After the experience of the first phase of the new bag skirt for Peter Venn’s TP6 craft, we had some new design criteria...
16/07/2022

After the experience of the first phase of the new bag skirt for Peter Venn’s TP6 craft, we had some new design criteria:

- reduce the spray coming over the bow,
- contain the skirt on the sides to allow loading on to the trailer .

The first design showed that it is possible to make a bag skirt to replace extended segments. While Peter’s preferred outcome was a bag skirt, we learned that there were features of the pure bag that were undesirable and a hybrid skirt would be the outcome. He decided that the skirt should have extended segments around the bow and and that the ground contact for

So we went back to the drawing board.

Read the full article
https://pm.hovercraft.technology/w/2022/07/11/the-tp6-phase-2/

Peter Venn has been using hovercraft for more than 40 years. From w**d control, mining support to extensive fun rides, h...
11/07/2022

Peter Venn has been using hovercraft for more than 40 years. From w**d control, mining support to extensive fun rides, he’s done most things.

His current workhorse was custom built for him. Essentially a widened, lengthened Viper, it has a separate lift engine at the front and a Subaru EA81 driving a large thrust fan.

Although based on a extended segment hull, the craft has no plenum. The intention was to fit a loop segment skirt, but that didn’t happen. Instead Peter fitted standard extended segments. While the craft would cruise and perform well, it was very difficult to take off from a floating start. Since there was no pressure distribution, Peter developed a wild rocking technique to get the hull to initially lift from the water.

He was never really happy with the string of changes and developments he tried to improve the skirt performance.

So he was very interested when I told him about the trials I had been doing with bag skirts on that hull profile.

Needless to say, we decided to do it.

For the full article:
https://pm.hovercraft.technology/w/2018/09/13/the-tp6-skirt-phase-1/

No. 19We have had the craft back on the water with a few small mods. The single rear skirt has been replaced with an...
12/11/2021

No. 19

We have had the craft back on the water with a few small mods. The single rear skirt has been replaced with anti scoop singles. The rudder throw has been modified to give the full throw and the transmission is running true.

I was able to get a few good runs in on the lake and was happy with the performance. This thing wants to get up and go but not yet. I need to get some drive time under my belt.

I will post some video shots once I work out with PM how to do it.

In the meantime here are some pics of the last stages of the build.

Originally posted 30/9/2021
https://pm.hovercraft.technology/w/2021/09/30/trevors-build-19/

No. 18This post is about the trailer build. I looked at various designs around and decided I wanted one that would g...
05/11/2021

No. 18

This post is about the trailer build.

I looked at various designs around and decided I wanted one that would give the craft and skirts protection from the road. I elected for a tube frame which has turned out nice and light but still strong .

It was simple enough to build with the tilt mechanism which has proved easy to get the craft on and off. Settting up the springs on angle iron made getting the balance right easy. The electric winch has a dual purpose in that it lifts the front up to slide the craft off and then it will winch it back on at the days end.

I used poly mud guards as the were cheap and still strong enough if supported well. Vicroads website has all the info on lighting and safety chains etc and registration was a breeze.

Originally published 29/9/2021
https://pm.hovercraft.technology/w/2021/09/29/trevors-build-18/

No. 16Well a heap has gone down since my last post. I will try and put it into the next few posts. Some of it is go...
01/11/2021

No. 16

Well a heap has gone down since my last post. I will try and put it into the next few posts. Some of it is good and some of it is bad. Lessons learnt along the way for a beginner.

In the meantime here is a few shots of the steering which is a modified bike stem, some shots of the single rear skirt and the seat frame and rudders.

Originally published 9/8/2021
https://pm.hovercraft.technology/w/2021/08/09/trevors-build-16/

No. 15I guess one of the most important tasks is setting up the transmission. Right or wrong this is how I tackled t...
22/10/2021

No. 15

I guess one of the most important tasks is setting up the transmission. Right or wrong this is how I tackled the job.

I first looked at the transmission tower and fitted all the bearing sets and shafts into position and temporarily tightened them down. The upper and lower shafts were checked and adjusted for parallel and the two thru bolts tightened to lock it all up. It was then fitted in position.

I then looked at the relationship between the motor and the lower shaft. Right from the start my hull sat on the workshop floor which I knew was dead level and I was able to use this as a flat reference for the motor and shaft. The flex coupling flanges were fixed onto the motor and lower shaft and straight edges were clamped across them as in the photos. A spirit level was used to get the motor and shaft into vertical alignment. The adjustment was made with the studs on the transmission support. As it was, the 190 mm height to the motor shaft center was spot on and very little adjustment was required. A check was the made with the straight edges to make sure the flanges were parallel in the side view.

I then went back and checked everything. At this point I was happy with progress so I cut the connecting shaft to length and installed the flex couplings. I was then able to jury rig the motor and give the lower shaft a run. All of this happened with the duct off the craft so it was now fitted back on and tightened down to its final position. The fan was then fitted and measurements were taken from the rear of the duct to make sure it was aligned. The two support wings were installed and again adjustments were made to get the fan centered. The drawings call for 635 between the shaft centers and with this dimension the fan was very close to central so the pulleys and belt were fitted. Again everything was double checked and tightened up.

The fan guard was fitted and the motor was fired up. For a first timer this was a scary experience and everything on the body was clenched tight !! After I started breathing again the motor was run for a few minutes then shut down. Everything was again checked and the fan was found to have a bit of play. A loose grub screw on the lower flex was the culprit so check it all again.The motor was then given a ten minute run until a burning smell had me shut it down. Turns out the lower shaft was touching the cutout in the lower duct and it got quite hot.

So it was pull it all apart and modify the duct and put it all back together. Damn. The motor and fan now have an hour of run time and things seem ok. I guess the main test will come when we hit the water and start to bounce things round a bit. This all sounds like a long job but if you take your time and look carefully at what you do it will all fall into place.

This whole process took a couple of days with things coming on and off again to gain access but I think it was good practice to get a feel for how it all works together. One more milestone and a bit closer to getting on the water.

Originally published 16/3/2021

https://pm.hovercraft.technology/w/2021/03/16/trevors-build-15/

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