The Best of Boat Worlds: The Various Uses of the Airboat

For people who feel like they are born to be in the wild, taking an airboat ride across the marshes and swamps in the Everglades is a dream come true. This flat-bottomed vessel has become a popular means of transportation in the wetlands, taking thrill seekers closer to creatures such as pythons and crocodiles that are usually only seen behind bars in zoos or frozen in postcards.

Airboats have been around for more than a century. The first airboat, named Ugly Duckling, was built in the early 1900s by a team of inventors led by Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, who is famous for creating the first telephone. Dr. Bell's airboat was originally employed to test various engines and prop configurations. However, it was not Dr. Bell but his associate Glenn Curtiss who is said to have registered the first airboat in Florida, which he called the Curtis Scooter.

The airboat may be a reputable vehicle for eco-tourism, but owners have found other uses for this vessel. Novice and veteran anglers can do fishing and bowfishing aboard an airboat. Hunters can also go behind the wheel to pursue their prey. In 2005, airboats were used to rescue thousands of flood victims after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, making it a reliable tool for public safety.

Time and again, the airboat has shown that it is not a one-dimensional vessel. Indeed, it can gift its passengers with an experience that is both memorable and extraordinary.

A Glimpse at the Fascinating Wildlife that Exists in the Everglades

Some kids become too preoccupied with their friends, school activities, and high-tech toys that they rarely have time for some good old family bonding. Parents should therefore make an effort to carefully plan family-friendly outing that doesn't include a trip to the amusement park or even a trip abroad. Instead, one must think out of the box and consider more exciting activities such as Everglades airboat rides.

An airboat is a watercraft that's designed for navigating shallow waters like swamps and marshes, which are prevalent in the Florida Everglades. Kids will enjoy the exhilarating sights and activities that these wetlands offer, including getting up close and personal with the uniquely captivating wildlife like birds and reptiles. You and your kinds certainly won't want to miss the Great Blue Heron, a tall, wading bird with a wingspan greater than its height.

You'll also find numerous lizard, snake, and turtle species in the Everglades. Perhaps the most intriguing and irresistible of all is the American alligator. This cold-blooded creature typically has a thick, dark hide that helps it blend into the surroundings and prey upon amphibians, snakes, and other creatures with much stealth. So if you're raring for a one-of-a-kind family adventure, then you certainly won't be disappointed with the Florida Everglades.

Airboats: They Won’t Get Snagged in the Everglades

Airboats are no strangers to everglades and marshy waters; their flat hulls and giant fans give them the advantage over boats with outboard motors in these places. In fact, using an outboard motor boat in the everglades will likely end up as a frustrating experience, especially when the motor ends up snagging water plants. Places like Florida happen to have a lot of everglades, namely the preserves west of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, making airboats rather common sights.

The workings of an airboat is founded in Isaac Newton's law of action and reaction. As his Third Law states, any object that exerts force (action) on another object will result in the latter object exerting an equal amount of force (reaction) in the opposite direction. In the case of the airboat, the energy released by the giant fan serves as the action, while the forward motion of the boat serves as the reaction.

Whether it's for fishing or sightseeing, airboats can carry an entire family or office staff for a joyride across The Everglades. It may be a bit noisy, given that the fan is mounted on the boat instead of below the water, but modern airboat designs feature quieter motors and carbon fiber propellers that reduce noise. Leave the open seas and lakes to outboard motor boats, because the everglades are best explored aboard airboats.