How fast do Airboats go?
Stripped down racing Airboats can reach speeds over 135 miles per hour on smooth, shallow water and can reach this speed in 4 seconds (1/8 mile), according to an article in U.S. Airboat magazine. Speeds over 60 mph in any watercraft is can be risky and is not recommended. The same is true for automobiles. The differences are: (1) Roads are much more uniform (and better lit) than waterways. (2) Unlike cars, most watercraft do not have brakes. Stan Floyd, the president of the American Airboats Corporation, holds the official land speed record of 47.76 m.p.h. which was set in a standard American Air-Ranger at the Houston, International Dragway in September, 1995. 48 m.p.h. and an elapsed quarter mile time of 21.26 sec. doesn’t sound that fast until you consider that it was set in a standard 300 h.p. 3-seat airboat not a stripped down hot-rod. The record was also set on asphalt. Going across a grassy meadow, this airboat could easily top 55 mph.
