Ice airboat

[Green Bay Ice man]

I’ve bought a 2002 Huffman 15 1/2’ x 7 1/2’ fiberglass Airboat with a 500 caddy motor.

Seems like an extremely solid fiberglass boat and a boatload of power with the 500 CID.

It has full poly on the bottom, my question is, will I be OK with running this boat on the ice with occasional open water to ice transfers. I know power will not be a question at hand. It is just it being fiberglass, and then again I have broke a lot of ice with my Ranger walleye boat!! Lol

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[SWAMPHUNTER45]

That hull must be at least 15 or 20 years old. It would have wood stringers if original and should be given a good inspection before putting it in any severe environment.

If Poly was screwed on I wouldn’t even think about putting it near ice.

I’m a FL boy but run the RiverMaster hull with big power. I would not suggest putting it into a hazardous ice environment. The AlumiTech Ice hulls that I have seen being built for Alaska have extra stringers and heavier hull material and make a glass boat look very inferior.

 

[swamper2]

I live in MI and been running ice for 50 years. Don't think you would have a catastrophic failure but would do visual inspections like I do regularly. Stay away from rough broken refroze wind pack ice ridges or pick your way to find a smoother path. I am running 16ft Alumitec and have had broken welds before. I live on a river which can freeze sometimes in rough conditions so I pick my conditions now that I am older.

 

[Green Bay Ice man]

I live in MI and been running ice for 50 years. Don't think you would have a catastrophic failure but would do visual inspections like I do regularly. Stay away from rough broken refroze wind pack ice ridges or pick your way to find a smoother path. I am running 16ft Alumitec and have had broken welds before. I live on a river which can freeze sometimes in rough conditions so I pick my conditions now that I am older.

Thanks for your input, I am in the process of putting 3/8 poly on the sides with stainless quarter inch, & locknuts, I don’t plan on doing anything crazy or putting it through severe duty. Just want to use for safety purposes, and if the ice is too thin and I go through that I can still get off. I wouldn’t think with running smooth ice that it would be anything I should have to worry about, I think the poly and the sides will really stiffen the integral strength of it. Am I correct?

 

[Green Bay Ice man]

That hull must be at least 15 or 20 years old. It would have wood stringers if original and should be given a good inspection before putting it in any severe environment.

If Poly was screwed on I wouldn’t even think about putting it near ice.

I’m a FL boy but run the RiverMaster hull with big power. I would not suggest putting it into a hazardous ice environment. The AlumiTech Ice hulls that I have seen being built for Alaska have extra stringers and heavier hull material and make a glass boat look very inferior.

It has quarter inch poly on the bottom, are you referring to it not having poly, or if the poly that is on it is screwed on?

 

[SWAMPHUNTER45]

My reference is related to either bolts with nuts and washer or an install where they used screws and ground off the heads that poked through.

Nuts / bolt with washer far stronger

 

[Green Bay Ice man]

My reference is related to either bolts with nuts and washer or an install where they used screws and ground off the heads that poked through.

Nuts / bolt with washer far stronger

I agree 100% with you on that, thanks!