Swamp Buggy

[CGAux26]

There was an article in Marine Modeling International reviewing a glow engine powered Florida swamp buggy. Are there any RTR or kits for swamp buggies, using electric motor drive? It must be pretty fast, to have scale speed. The real ones go 40 or 50 knots.

[charlie eaton]

There is one out now by Aqua craft. It's an RTR scale model of an''Alligator Tours'' boat. It's nitro,it would be great to have one electric. You might be able to convert one over.

[CGAux26]

Yes, the review in MMI to which I referred was of the Aqua Craft. It says it comes complete with a Super Tigre engine, fuel tank, etc. So a lot of hardware I don't want. I don't think the ponds I run on are gas boat friendly.
Dave

[charlie eaton]

Check with AquaCraft,you may be able to get it as a bare boat without the engine and all the other gear.

[steamboatmodel]

Dumas also has Swamp Buggies
http://www.dumasestore.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=47_57&osCsid=fbjkgqapfh12akdbn317m26vp4
Regards,
Gerald

[PT Sideshow]

Your are at cross purposes here as that is an air boat, Swamp buggies are wheeled assorted looking contraptions that they have the world cup races once a year down at track in Florida.
So if that is what your looking for most any electric RC off road truck could be the start for a swamp buggies

Now back to your air boat. Check this site out and you will see more ideas and styles then you could have imagined.
RC airboats (http://www.rcairboats.net/phpBB/index.php)
Always thought I was the only one that wanted to mount a weed wacker engine on a small scale air boat! Boy was I wrong :D ;)

[CG Bob]

PT -

Dumas calls at least some of their models Swamp Buggies. Yoopers call a similar vehicle a Windsled (http://www.windsled.com/50th01.htm).

[nick_75au]

I love how you Yanks call some of your sporting events "world series/cup/championship" when the only participants are US based :p, well maybe the odd Canuck might get a run. :D
Nick

[steamboatmodel]

hay Nick, I have seen there "Swamp buggies " in Florida on TV, and believe me no "odd Canuck" or an even Canuck would go near that.
Regards,
Gerald.
PS We just race cars in snow and on ice.

[nick_75au]

I guess this is the Aussie equivalent to the swamp buggy and air boat in one

http://www.v8superboats.com.au/index.php

If your made in the same mould as Kmot TURN UP THE SOUND :D

Races are held in Australia New Zealand and the USA,

Nick

http://www.v8superboats.com.au/photos/Australian%20Championship/002wi.jpg

http://www.v8superboats.com.au/photos/qdig-files/converted-images/photos/Round%201%2009%20World%20Series/qdig-converted/med_1L1A5086.jpg

http://www.v8superboats.com.au/photos/Worldseries/01214%20Leon%20Smale%20%28AUS%29.jpg

[Tugboat Andy]

Hi Dave.

If you are interested in a kit from the UK, I spotted a styrene airboat hull the other day.

http://www.mobilemarinemodels.com/acatalog/Budget_Boats.html

It may be worth a look. :)

Andy

PS - PM Sent

[norgale]

I live where the swamp buggies originated. Yes people have been building "buggies" to go on the dunes and in the woods and the swamps for years all over the world but SW Fla has put it's stamp on them with the "World Famous Swamp Buggy Races and Parade" in Naples, Fla. which is the town next to where I live.
This is the only event that I have ever seen that goes to all the pagentry and trouble to elect a "Queen" and then ,at the end of the races, dumps her in the muddy water. I think this started one year when the Queen fell in the water by accident. She may have been drunk but I'm not sure. Ha!The "good ol' boys" thought this was hilarious so it continues to this day.
Anyway for those who would like to know here are some pictures of the two machines in various designs. I'll post a pic of a swamp buggy racer as soon as I can find one. The racer is not your everyday back yard buggy. It;s made strickly for the race and wouldn't last five minutes out in the 'glades-(swamp).
As for a definition of the two machines,the swamp buggy has four wheels,is built high off the ground and is four wheel drive.It is steered with conventional auto type steering with a steering wheel like your car. It may have an old model T engine or a honda lawnmower engine or maybe a Lincoln 460 which is most popular. It may have one or two or maybe three transmissions either automatic or standard shift or both and will almost always have a stereo radio and a heater. A/C is not an option here.
An airboat is a boat with no wheels and with an engine turning an airplane type propeller bolted to a frame up inside the boat to drive the boat along. It is steered by means of an airfoil behind the prop in the same manner as a rudder steers an airplane. The operator has a stick in his hand the same as the older airplanes had and not a steering wheel. Newer airboats may have a steering wheel set up like an average boat.
Both these machines are very useful and highly entertaining for their owners. When the Everglades are high with water the airboats are in evidence. When the glades dry out then the buggys are used to traverse the hundreds of square miles of sawgrass.
Hope this helps you to decide what you want to build. Pete