I have recieved so many emails on how and what to build. I sent this to Dale in Idaho and thought I would post it here as well for otheres to ponder my theory and or ideas.

Size of a craft is like knives to a gun fight. Compare a hovercraft to a boat that's 75% smaller than your hovercraft in shitty weather and twice as  big as a boat when its smooth water. The truth is that if your into hovercraft you just endure the good with the bad and if your just looking for a different looking type of boat and have no time in hovercraft. Boats are usually better and safer not to mention easier to operate. ( my next build will be a wave piercing vessel with hydra foils) safe long range fast cruising with good fuel economy like a hovercraft.

• build 16ft long and nothing wider than legal trailer width. (no explorers) Uh or sevtec. I'm speaking of the bag width inflated. Loading and unloading is a hassle with hovercraft at best and can't be done with one person unless its a very small craft (10ft maybe 12 ft possibly 14ft). build a water launch trailer only were about done trying to make flat deck trailers work and boat trailers are cheaper in the end and better quailty than most guys can build.
• I like foam and glass its very strong and light weight besides it has no rot issues. All craft can be built from foam and if you look around only serious builders are using foam and no wood.

1. I would build a 16ft craft using the prospector drawings to the point of skirt and hull.
2. A full enclosure with a door on both sides that seals water tight and glass windshield with side windows that open (marine type for sure)
3. I would with out question install heat and air conditioning its simple and cheap to do.
4. Find a self inflating mattress that fits the floor and has a reversing blow up motor or make it reverse so you can vacuum the mattress down to save space and ease of putting it away.
5. double the floor thickness as well as use this thickness for the roof so you can walk around up there and fish or sun bath from the location (it also will allow you to take gear up there)
6. I think the power plant is way over valued in hovercraft by a long shot. You never run at full power nor wood you ever want to. just use a Geo metro 3cyl engine and a stock VW bug PICT 34 carb on it. By the carb new bolt it on don't adjust anyting they come from the factory already set up.
7. Use a boat throttle quadrant and marine cable and you'll save yourself a ton of headache and make the craft a great long range cruiser.
8. For the windshield just by flat glass of coures get it as safety or laminated glass its cheap and easy to install. make it fit like a late model car. no rubber molding just glass in a recessed area with a lip and the glass cocking comes in a tube you squeeze it in and set the glass on it. find some trim to go around it and your done. its to much work to try and use curved auto glass.
9. install to separate wiper motor and blade for both passenger and driver with switches at the drivers reach. Also install wipers on the side windows you'll need them every trip and more on the sunny hot days. I like the cheap single wiper motor and arm that west marine offers. There simple to install and wire.
10. Use portable boat 6 gallon fuel tanks with the sender in the top of the tank or in the cap. You simply use so little fuel most weekends fuel is not a issue. Mount four tanks on the roof with a manifold that the fuel lines go to and you can switch between them every few hours of traveling. Your never flying for more than a tank of fuel and it may be a good reason to stop and do a quick inspection at this time. Were talking about a 90 mile 3 hour run here on one tank and 360 miles or 12 hours on all four which is a long way.
11. The engine compartment requires a redo over the plans. More about positioning for ease of maintenance and water spray. Go with a two engine craft and install the lift fan under the thrust motor. There is pros and cons to vertical or horizontal lift fans but horizontal allows the most cabin space and truly this si the most important when camping and cruising. Since you the craft has a enclosed compartment there is still a wall between you and the engines and it will be very nice with noise deaden material on the wall. I like the stuff called road kill myself.
12. plan on mounting at least 2 big batteries (plus) in the bow to get the C.G. One thing you need not worry about when building is being to heavy. be respectful of weight build a bit better than the plans and use only stainless aluminum or galvanized steel. Treat it like your going to use it as a anchor in between flying in a slat water bay.
13. Gauges are another thing that are way over rated. install a oil light and charging light and a gps its all you need i have shit everywhere i don't use and have no reason for it. If the oil pressure drops  you'll see it when the motor starts to rattle and if the charging light comes on you have more than a hour of fly time with everything on and during the day with everything off you have hours of time with out a alternator. the alternator belt tells you when the belt comes off or breaks for the water pump and that's all you need. By a good marine radio and stereo with speakers for your guests.
14. The engine compartment itself needs to be completely enclosed with removable panels for service. Using louvering for air intake for the lift fan. I would run this cover all the way up and over or around the thrust bearing and pulley for the drive. So basically all that is exposed is the propeller. This will drastically if not completely take car of the bag spray and or side wind getting the engine soaked and the belts will stay dry which in all hover craft is a huge issue. Not only do I think this is the most important modification but but the most friendly to people around you as far as noise goes. really you will be almost silent just off the shore passing people.
15. Run the exhaust straight up with a tractor flapper in your engine compartment and let it just exit out side the compartment obliviously pointing up to reduce the noise as much as possible. Also install muffler a cheap $15 muffler works just fine and is always the quietest. Remember you cruise at 2500 rpm so the engine is barley running there is no need to try and build power and nothing you do will get you better fuel economy no matter how much money you throw at it.
16. Also a couple cheap $10 dollar plastic tractor lights on the bow and one on each side mounted above the engine compartment aimed at the side for docking or beach landing. Have them on two switches fronts and rears.
17. bilge pump? don't get water in the craft! a hovercraft is unique to bilge pumps and they don't work! Go to a sea doo dealer ship or look on eBay and by the factory bilge pump suction pick up. it looks like a little foot with a bunch of holes in the bottom of it. Hook this to a 10 psi electric fuel pump just like you will use on the motor for a fuel pump. this way you don't need sump for the bilge to sit in and you don't have to wait for the craft to have 2" or more of water in it to get it to turn on or actually work. Put it on enough hose so that you can use it as a small vacuum all over the craft. if you spill a beer flip on switch grab the hose with the little suction foot and suck up those suds.
18. Rubber floor mat cut to fit the floor and lawn chairs make the best interior as the floor is protected and not slippery and the chairs fold up for sleeping and or come out for sitting around the camp fire. Also don't forget when your fishing you take them up stairs as well where you have a open space to sit and nothing to stop over head casting.
19. Up on top I would install a regular boat rail all the way around you can lean on or put your feet on when sitting. Also make sure you plan on either a ladder or build into the hull steps with a handle to get up on top. your not cruising up here but your sure going to spend a lot of time there. I would install a floor mount for a table up there so you can serve drinks or food. also put on the rail at least one clamp on food prep or fish cleaning table i love mine. also a stainless marine bar b Que that clamps to the outside of the rail so it takes up less space you have to use up there. Don't forget to put drink holders every where or they get spilt every where. Every they break out the chairs on the Uh 17 up on the roof top they get a mayday call put for a craft going down and at the water line.
20. Install a water pump and sprayer that feeds from under the boat so you can clean the craft and or fish when your on the hook or drifting. may help one day just to top off the radiator but well worth it I really enjoy mine and west marine sells a great complete kit that stows well.

I was chatting with Ken Soldin on a Yahoo IM.  I  mentioned I needed to build or buy some rudders for my explorer. The ones I have now are anchors.  We talked about Bryan Phillips at Amphibious marine. Bryan has killer molded rudders weighing only 4.5 lbs each. thats awesome in my book. There good quality so there not cheap around 175$ or so each. Bryan recomends going to four over the plans three. Told me there were times when he wished it had four.

  Well with that said Ken reminded me of what he used for rudders on his vanguard. They aquired stop signs that were in excellent shape as well as through the proper channels of course. They put the signs in a metal brake and cut them. Drilled holes in them for small u bolts to attach to the rudder pivot bolt.  I have flown this craft and this works well. They are very light weight and easy to make. Ken say's he definitly recommends these over bulding your own foam glass type or bending aluminum sheet metal around into air foil.  

The rudder being a airfoil is not critical to the function.  It isonly a deflector of the air being pushed across it.  A flat panel does the job as well as the fanciest shaped rudder.

 I have a dead line and a budget to work with. So for now I'll build mine to stay in the budget.  I will use Kens design to stay on the time frame.  I'll just buy the aluminum and use the brake to cut it. Later if I run into a issue I know I can always call amphipiuos marine. 

 Ever have a question about hovering?  Ken will stop what ever his wife has him doing. So he can spend a few hours with you on the phone working through your issue. Or if your in Anchorage let him know and get a ride. He's not selling anything just one of the largest promotors of the sport in the world.  His hovercraft gets more miles than his truck.