"The term hovercraft was first used by Sir Christopher Cockerell (1910-1999) to describe his ingenious invention: a boat that can travel over water without actually touching the water, thus reducing the drag and increasing the speed of the vehicle. Surprisingly his theory was initially tested on dry land with two tin cans and a vacuum cleaner. Once he proved that his invention would work, he began tests on water. At first, the British Royal Navy, Air Force and Army dismissed the idea of a hovercraft in battle but their view soon changed and now the hovercraft is used regularly to transfer troops and equipment over land, sea, or even swamp. A simple explanation of how the hovercraft works might bore the highly technical reader but here's the basic idea. Engine power is directed to fans that blow air into a rubber skirt, which retains the air and then gives way when hitting an obstacle such as a wave or a rock giving the illusion of actually floating on air. The engine also provides power to another propeller, which is used for thrust. Rudders placed at the rear of the hovercraft handle steering.













Unfortunately, you can't just walk into a boat dealer and place an order for a hovercraft, but you can contact one of several companies that offer "build-it-yourself kits". Mind you, chances are that you won't have the time, skill, or patience to build your own hovercraft but there are now a few companies that have an alluring group of products and will build the kits for you. Universal Hovercraft in Harvard, Illinois has developed one of the most unique models. The UH-18SP not only hovers, but also can actually fly up to five feet above terrain, in ground effect. Using a 100hp Subaru engine you can expect to cruise comfortably at 75mph. What is truly surprising about this hovercraft is that you are not required to have a pilot license in order to drive one. Total cost for a custom build: US$38,000.












Another inspiring machine aimed towards the performance-minded buyer is the "Grand Touring Hovercraft" which will most definitely catch the attention of anyone who happens to catch a glimpse of this flashy 4-seater. Advertising 375 lbs. of thrust, and 80mph cruise, the GTH as it's known is also meant for longer trips. This is evident by their options package: leather seats, GPS, A/C, stereo, and enough room for your overnight bags. It's fully loaded and custom built for approximately US$60,000. You can be assured bragging rights on your local waterways since there just aren't many hovercrafts out there. But since you have to custom order these hotrods, just make sure you can handle the 6- to 8-month wait while it's being built." [Via RichGuy.com]