Airboats

Airboats in the past

Airboat rides have been around since the mid-1960s, however, the boats are a lot different today. The first motors were aircraft piston motors. However, they worked really well for airboats in the Everglades.  They were not airworthy anymore and they were easier to work on and not very expensive to purchase. The engines were similar to lawnmower engines and parts were easy to come by. Later on in the mid-1990s, the airboating world moved to Cadillac motors and big block engines, also the fuel was less expensive.

Airboats Today

Today airboats are used for different applications. However, they are fun to ride. They are used for working in the Everglades as well as pleasure boats that are privately owned as well as tour boats. The Everglades boats used for Everglades tours are much more advanced than ever before. The engines also have changed in today’s modern swamp boat although the concept of the fan remains the same. Some airboaters are using high-performance L.S type motors which make a lot of horsepower and are fun to drive. When you think about it, it sounds a little crazy, going from aircraft motors to car engines. Ultimately the proof is in the pudding as they say: airboats work really well, and they are in fact the only types of boats that can be used in certain situations.

Different uses for airboats

Did you know that the U.S Coat Guards and the U.S Military have and still uses airboats? That’s not all, what if we told you the U.S Special forces have also used our favorite method of transportation? If you think about it, airboats are great to navigate where other boats cannot. They can glide above shallow waters and even fly partially above bits of land that don’t have any water. This is why airboats were used to help flood victims during Hurricane Katrina. Airboats allowed the US military to help and retrieve thousands of New Orleans inhabitants and residents. This is just one of the many uses of those amazing things. The coastguards can also make use of airboats, it gets them quickly where they want to go and allows them to over different types of water-related terrains. This is why we love airboats so much: they are so flexible and can become extremely useful in certain specific situations

Airboats are eco-friendly

Did you know that airboats are some of the most eco-friendly boats around? This is because they don’t come into contact with much under the surface of the water. Seeing that big engine and propeller might actually make you think otherwise, but the mere fact that such engine and propeller is above the surface is actually what is best for the environment. This means the propeller doesn’t damage plants or animals. In fact, the whole airboat glides above the surface of the water, so even the main body doesn’t interfere with nature. Airboats are regularly known to just fly above most animals and plants, leaving them to get on with their routines uninterrupted. Today, a delicate ecosystem like the Everglades can really benefit from as little human interruption as possible, and airboats do a great job at just doing that. Eco-tourism is something that should always be encouraged, and airboats are there to do their part.

Airboat Tours

Today at Airboat rides Fort Lauderdale we only use the top-of-line Airboats for our tours in the Everglades. Custom-built swamp boats with comfortable seats and fun powerful engines. If you are considering an Airboat tour of the Everglades you have found the right company in Fort Lauderdale. Our Company is a family-owned business and a third generation Company. Airboat rides in the Everglades are an adventure to remember. They are also a very educational experience. We are true gladesmen that are passionate about the Everglades. We are proud of what we do, and we want to share everything we know about the Everglades with you.

Contact us through our website or, if you prefer call us today. Come and join us today for an Everglades tour in Florida. Fun for the entire group and very educational. See wildlife in its natural habitat on every everglades tour. View the American Alligator in the wild, not in a cage. Discover the best way to visit the Everglades and discover its unique wildlife.