How do airboats compare to hovercraft?

Unlike airboats, hovercraft are flying machines that travel above the surface on a bubble of air so they don’t create a wake on water. Airboats are flat-bottomed boats with a large propeller and their entire weight rests on the surface, creating a wake.  Airboats usually require a boat dock for launching; hovercraft do not.

Airboats are limited to relatively smooth water because their hulls have low gunwales which can be easily swamped. Airboats have minimum positive flotation, where hovercraft have quite a lot - up to 1 1/2 times their weight. This enables hovercraft to operate safely on swiftwater. Here, first responders from the U.S. Air Force practice swift water rescue techniques in a Neoteric hovercraft …

The airboat’s tall propeller also limits its use in areas with overhead obstructions, which are often found in flood rescue operations. An airboat’s propeller usually runs close to the speed of sound and generates far more noise than a hovercraft. Airboats can consume up to three times more energy than hovercraft, so they use more fuel.

Hovercraft are safer than airboats in ice rescue operations. As stated in a news article about a dive team preparing for ice rescues, “Emergency personnel practiced rescuing victims who have fallen through ice by getting as close as they can with airboats - too close and the boat will push the ice and crush the victim - and then, with insulated, waterproof suits on and an attached rope, swimming out and bringing the victim back." 

Hovercraft can fly on top of thin or broken ice while airboats cannot, and hovercraft often break the ice into small pieces that are of no danger to the victim. Hovercraft can also approach the victim directly, keeping rescuers out of the water. And the airboat's high center of gravity makes them prone to flipping over. 

An example of an airboat's tall propeller and high center of gravity.

Hovercraft are much more maneuverable than airboats, particularly Neoteric craft whose patented reverse thrust system allows them to brake and otherwise outmaneuver every other hovercraft on the market. Reverse thrust is essential for hovering on ice and swiftwater. Airboat control comes from propeller thrust and airflow across its rudders, so it takes full power to achieve real control. In contrast, a hovercraft with reverse thrust is more easily controlled, no matter how much power is applied.Operating an airboat at full power is a bit like running a bucking bronco! But flying a hovercraft with reverse thrust, even at full power, is nothing like fighting a monster - it's more like dancing with a ballerina.

Finally, as one first responder said after a Neoteric hovercraft water rescue, "You've got an airboat, you've got a hovercraft, and you've got a traditional boat ... I just couldn't come up with any other vehicle that could match what a hovercraft can do. Well, not "a" hovercraft - THIS hovercraft. Caterpillar makes the best equipment. Peterbilt makes the best truck. Neoteric makes the best hovercraft."

Learn more about Neoteric hovercraft ...

First responders: Save lives safely in ice rescue operations

In ice and water rescues, there is a universally accepted sequence: “reach, throw, row and go.” A “go” rescue is the point at which first responders physically go out on the ice to retrieve the victim – risking their own lives in the process. Statistics show that the most frequent victims in ice rescue operations are animals, children, ice fishermen, skaters, snowmobilers … and first responders.

Fortunately, first responders across the globe have discovered a way to eliminate the risks of “go” ice rescues, along with the “reach, throw and row” risks, as well – the Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

As one example, the Swedish Sea Rescue Society (Svenska Sjöräddnings Sällskapet), founded in 1907, is responsible for 70% of all ice and water rescues in Sweden and they rely on their five Neoteric HoverTrek™ rescue hovercraft to get them to where no other vehicle can go. Watch how their craft fly safely and easily over thin and broken ice:

Drag and hover to see the entire scene ...

Time is critical in ice rescues; shock and hypothermia can occur in minutes, and traditional ice rescue techniques simply take too long. Ordinary ice rescue equipment, such as inflatable walkways, sleds and ropes, can place first responders in as much danger as the people they’re trying to rescue.

Both these problems are solved with a Neoteric rescue hovercraft. It’s easily launched in minutes onto many challenging ice conditions, including thin or broken ice, while other rescue vehicles can operate only on solid ice at least 5 inches thick. And the hovercraft flies 9 inches above the surface. Not only does this improve response time, it keeps rescuers safely above the danger and allows access to areas that can’t be reached by boat, snowmobile, or even helicopter.

When CNN reported on a Neoteric hovercraft's rescue of three deer from a frozen lake, the news anchors summed it up quite accurately: "Hovercraft are kind of a genius idea here ... if you go out there with a snowmobile, you're in trouble - it doesn't hover; it's just a craft ... Boats and jet skis are pretty useless on ice and snowmobiles fall through ice if it won't hold their weight. Hovercraft can fly over any surface, so they save many lives. If you fall through the ice, or get sucked into mud or quicksand, better hope someone locally has a hovercraft handy!"

See more videos of Neoteric hovercraft in action on ice ...

Fire department's Neoteric hovercraft has saved more than 255 people ...

Hovercraft: The essential vehicle for ice rescue operations ...

Video: Neoteric hovercraft practice ice rescue operations ...

A Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft saves another life

Yesterday in Iowa the Council Bluffs Fire Department rescued a fisherman who had fallen through the ice on Lake Manawa and was submerged in icy water while clinging to the ice shelf.

Captain Jim Maaske reported that their Neoteric hovercraft allowed the firefighters to quickly find the man and hover directly to him without putting themselves at risk. Thanks to his rapid rescue, the fisherman was checked by EMS personnel and released.

Council Bluffs Firefighters discuss the situation after their successful ice rescue.

The Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft is the only vehicle able to operate on thin and broken ice.
It prevents first responders from having to enter the freezing water, risking their own lives.

Council Bluffs has owned their Neoteric Hovercraft since 2015, and this is far from the first life it has saved. Less than a month after its purchase, the hovercraft enabled the rescue of a young man submerged in a flooded, muddy river. Fire Chief Justin James said there was more than 60 feet of deep mud on the shores of the West Nodaway River and 20 feet of shallow water to cross before reaching the victim. Chief James reported, "The amount of time it took us to get out there would have been drastically longer if we didn't have the hovercraft."

Along with speeding up rescue operations, the hovercraft also keeps first responders safe. As Chief James says, "The hovercraft is a very stable platform, and we're not getting in the water. It's not going to sink. It won't capsize like a canoe or other boat. Our hovercraft can handle some of the most dangerous rescues that would otherwise be out of reach. It's the only vehicle able to operate on any surface; you can get it anywhere that basically nothing else can get to. With it, we're not sending first responders into bad water or ice. We can go over it all with the hovercraft, grab the victim and bring them back."

First Responders:

See firsthand what a rescue hovercraft can do ...

Visit Neoteric Hovercraft at the 2017 FDIC in BOOTH 2704

... and register to win one of three FREE Hovercraft Pilot Training Courses!

(Valued at $1,575 each)

VIDEO: Neoteric Hovercraft rescues 10 deer from icy ocean

On Sunday, first responders from the Onset Fire Department used their Neoteric Workhorse hovercraft to rescue 10 deer that had fallen through the ice at Long Beach Point in Wareham, Massachusetts ...

Video by David G. Curran, Satellite News Service

This rescue illustrates the longevity of Neoteric hovercraft. Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald explains, “This is a hovercraft we built in 1990, still in service and still performing successful rescues. And when salt water freezes, it’s darn cold!”

Wareham officials said this type of rescue operation “is risky for emergency personnel, especially on unstable frozen saltwater.” And, statistically, the most frequent victims in ice rescue operations are animals, children, ice fishermen, skaters, snowmobilers – and first responders.

This is why hovercraft are an essential vehicle for ice rescues. A hovercraft is the only vehicle that can fly easily over thin or broken ice; other ice rescue equipment requires solid ice at least 5 inches thick. But a hovercraft flies 9 inches above the surface, keeping first responders above the danger, not in it.

This is not the first time a Neoteric hovercraft has come to the aid of the deer population. Last year a Neoteric HoverTrek™ rescued three exhausted deer stranded for days on the ice of Albert Lea Lake in Minnesota. Watch the video ...

Read more from first responders about their Neoteric hovercraft rescue operations ...

DRONE VIDEO: Hovercraft Ice Rescue

You’ve seen the news video of last weekend’s ice rescue practice session with the Perry Clear Creek, White River and Hazleton Fire Department and their Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Now check out this eye-in-the-sky view: excellent drone footage of the event on Calmuck Lake in Monroe City, Indiana, filmed by Rodney Helderman. It illustrates how well the Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek™ performs on thin and broken ice – quickly and safely accessing victims where no other vehicle can go …

First Responders: Learn more about scenarios for rescue hovercraft …

VIDEO: Neoteric hovercraft practice ice rescue operations

Yesterday Filip Przybysz, Neoteric’s Vice President of Marketing, fell through the ice on a frozen lake – on purpose!

Filip took on the role of victim during an ice rescue practice Saturday for the Perry Clear Creek, White River and Hazleton Fire Departments and their Neoteric rescue hovercraft. The practice was organized and conducted by HTC Flight Instructor, Steve Stafford, who is also Neoteric's Law Enforcement Liaison and is the founder of Project H.E.R.O. (Hovercraft Emergency Response Operations).

Appreciation also goes to property owner David Vanderbeck, to Dan Bush, who provided the 4-wheeler, and to Rodney Helderman who filmed drone footage of the exercises. 

Watch the news video below and see one of the many ways Neoteric and Hovercraft Training Centers serve customers long after the sale (and check back in soon to see the drone video) ...

TRANSCRIPT:

When the winter months roll around, we all know being out on the water or ice can be very dangerous, even deadly, in fact and public safety officials were out on the water today practicing for an ice rescue. Reporter Lauren Minor joined them to see what happens during one of these emergencies …

“The moment you actually fall in, you get in such a temperature shock,” says Director of Marketing and Sales at Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc., Filip Przybysz.

It can happen in a matter of seconds. You’re walking along and the ice breaks.

Filip Przybysz played the victim in Saturday’s demonstration of an ice rescue. Even though it was all for practice, he got to experience what it is like when falling into cold water: “As soon as you get out, I think your body heats up so fast, that’s when I was laying on the stretcher, I was shaking a little bit, but then I was told I was actually feeling warm.”

Rescuers say the most important thing is to keep moving so your body doesn’t stiffen up.

“I was actually okay, and the rescuers told me it was actually a fake perception because you wouldn’t go into hypothermia without knowing that,” said Przybysz

If you’re ever out on the ice, ice picks are a good thing to keep with you; that way if you do fall in, you can use the picks to pull yourself out.

"I equate it to like shooting a basketball, if you only shoot ten shots a month that's all the better you will ever be. So you have to practice with it to become proficient with it," says Fire Chief Mike Ellis of the White River Hazleton Fire Department.

Hovercraft can play a key role in ice rescue safety: they can get onto the ice and to the victim quickly and safely.

"The adrenaline kicks in and so does the training, and you do what you have been training to do all along," says Steve Stafford from Project H.E.R.O.

Steve Stafford also assisted with the rescue. [As a flight instructor with Hovercraft Training Centers] he travels all over to train with departments who have ice rescuers. "We have been asked to go to Kentucky, Ohio, to assist and basically if we get a hurricane or a request we will do our best to respond there also."

Ice rescuing may not happen too often in southern Indiana, but when it does, they have to be ready.

The hovercraft that were used by the Perry Clear Creek and the White River Township and Hazleton Fire Unit today, were actually created right here in Terre Haute at Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc.

First responders: Could a hovercraft help you save lives?

Read more about rescue hovercraft ...

And see for yourself with a Test Flight or Training Course

Hovercraft: The Essential Vehicle for Ice Rescue Operations

"Walking in a Winter Wonderland" is a popular song right now. But that walk - or ride - can quickly turn into a nightmare when you're on thin ice. Statistics show that the most frequent victims in ice rescue operations are animals, children, ice fisherman, skaters, snowmobilers - and first responders. 

In ice rescues, time is of the essence; hypothermia and shock can occur in minutes, immobilizing victims and rescuers alike, and traditional ice rescue techniques simply take too long. Much of the usual ice rescue equipment - inflatable walkways, sleds and ropes - can put first responders in as much danger as the victims they're trying to rescue.

But hovercraft fly above the surface, keeping first responders above the danger and greatly speeding up the rescue process. A hovercraft is the only vehicle that can fly easily over thin or broken ice; other rescue vehicles require solid ice at least 5 inches thick. And the Neoteric HoverTrek™, with its patented reverse thrust system, is the most versatile hovercraft available for ice rescue operations.

Another way hovercraft speed up rescue operations is that victims don't have to be disembarked at the water's edge. As a multi-terrain vehicle, a hovercraft can take victims from water, across land or mud, and directly to a waiting ambulance.

The Wilkes-Barre Fire Department's Neoteric HoverTrek™ soars over broken ice on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. The hovercraft's 9-inch deep air cushion and reverse thrust enables it to safely maneuver over jagged, broken, snow-covered ice floes.

See for yourself how the HoverTrek™ operates on ice - take a ride with Neoteric customer Dirk Lohry as he flies over thin, cracked ice on McCook Lake in South Dakota ...



When CNN reported earlier this year on a Neoteric hovercraft's rescue of three deer from a frozen lake, the news anchors summed it up quite accurately: "Hovercraft are kind of a genius idea here ... if you go out there with a snowmobile, you're in trouble - it doesn't hover; it's just a craft ... Boats and jet skis are pretty useless on ice and snowmobiles fall through ice if it won't hold their weight. Hovercraft can fly over any surface, so they save many lives. If you fall through the ice, or get sucked into mud or quicksand, better hope someone locally has a hovercraft handy!"

First responders: Is a Neoteric hovercraft right for you?

Find out with a Test Flight or Training Course

The Increasing Importance of Hovercraft

Maritime Reporter and Marine News magazines recently published an article emphasizing the need for hovercraft to play a growing role in maritime operations, due to their singular ability to travel where no other vehicle can go. Here are a few excerpts:

Extreme Applications Demand Specialist Small Craft

With 90% of world trade transported by sea then passing through ports and waterways, no amount of technology will replace the requirement for multiple small fast craft and skilled operators.

Mobility plus the ability to operate in shallow areas are critical capabilities for small craft. 

Rising Up: Hovercraft

Small hovercraft have a growing role to play in search and rescue, commercial and military operations around the world. Hovercraft can be a practical proposition for operations in areas inaccessible to other vehicles including frozen water, mud flats, intertidal areas, shallow rivers and flooded inland areas. Perceived to be environmentally sound, as they don’t exhaust into the water, create no wash and do not disturb the sea bed, they are also economical and do not endanger marine animals as there is no propeller in the water. 

###

Enjoy a few photos of Neoteric hovercraft in action around the world

that confirm these capabilities ...

Neoteric commercial hovercraft utilized in Kuwait intertidal zone

Neoteric hovercraft were used on Kuwait's intertidal zone to survey the environmental damage inflicted by the 1991 Persian Gulf War oil fires. The hovercraft was the only vehicle capable of operating on the thick mud.

Wilkes-Barre Fire Department Neoteric rescue hovercraft

The Wilkes-Barre Fire Department’s Neoteric rescue hovercraft soars over broken ice on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania during ice rescue practice. The craft’s 9-inch deep air cushion and patented reverse thrust enables it to safely maneuver over jagged, broken, snow-covered ice floes.

Neoteric rescue hovercraft deployed in 2014 Washington mudslide

Snohomish County Fire District 19’s rescue hovercraft were deployed from the initial alarm at the massive Oso, Washington mudslide. First responder Trent Nunemaker said, “Our hovercraft can navigate through floating debris and logs, so we’re able to cross the flooded valley and access the debris field. These Neoteric craft are able to quickly and safely access almost any environment.”

Finally, you’ve probably seen the viral video of the Neoteric craft rescuing three exhausted deer, stranded on the ice for days on Albert Lea Lake in Minnesota - but it's worth watching again! 

As the media reported, "Hovercraft are kind of a genius idea here ... Boats and jet skis are pretty useless on ice and snowmobiles fall through ice if it won't hold their weight. Hovercraft can fly over any surface, so they save many lives. If you fall through the ice, or get sucked into mud or quicksand, better hope someone locally has a hovercraft handy."

Fire Rescue in Poland impressed by Neoteric Hovercraft

Our dealer in Poland, Michal Przybylski of Tecnotek Polska, is proactively demonstrating the value of the Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek™ in rescue missions to Fire Rescue departments across Poland – and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Here, Michal exhibits the HoverTrek’s capabilities to Fire Rescue (STRAZ) agencies in Bytom, located in southern Poland …

Even before the Tecnotek Polska’s Neoteric Rescue hovercraft is in action, it attracts attention while still on its trailer …

Tecnotek Polska’s 6-passenger Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek™ …

Michal launches the hovercraft to display it in action as an audience gathers …

Of special interest to the first responders was the HoverTrek’s reverse thrust, which allows it to brake, fly backwards and hover in place – making it an exceptional ice and water rescue vehicle …

After seeing the Neoteric hovercraft in action, Fire Rescue officials were eager to get on board and experience a flight of their own …

Michel launches with a first responder on board …

The first responder experiences the unique maneuverability of the Neoteric hovercraft, made possible by its patented reverse thrust system ...

The demo gave first responders a hands-on opportunity to experience how the Neoteric hovercraft outperforms other rescue vehicles …

As always, a Neoteric hovercraft in action draws a large audience …

Michal reports that the feedback he received from this demo is “incredible.” Officials were extremely impressed by the hovercraft’s capabilities, and the attending Fire Rescue departments are in the process of writing grants to help them boost their search and rescue capabilities by purchasing a Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek™.

 See Tecnotek Polska practice ice rescue techniques with Poland Fire Rescue …

..........

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First responders rely on hovercraft for ice rescues

Ice rescue missions may be at an all-time high this winter. It’s been so cold for so long that the Great Lakes, which hold nearly one-fifth of the surface fresh water in the world, are almost completely covered with ice for the first time in two decades. In spite of the cold, these conditions bring out skaters, snowmobilers and ice fishermen - who regularly fall through thin ice.

Time is of the essence in ice rescues; shock and hypothermia can occur in minutes … and traditional ice rescue techniques simply take too long. And much of the traditional ice rescue equipment, such as inflatable walkways, sleds and ropes, can place first responders in as much danger as the people they’re trying to rescue.

But hovercraft, since they fly nine inches above the surface, keep first responders above the danger. Hovercraft are the only vehicle that can speed easily over thin or broken ice; other rescue vehicles can only be launched on solid ice at least 5 inches thick. And the Neoteric HoverTrek, with its patented reverse thrust that lets it brake and back up, is the most versatile hovercraft available for ice rescue operations.

Neoteric and Hovercraft Training Centers regularly train first responders throughout the world to conduct safe and successful ice rescues. Here are a few photos of a recent ice rescue practice on Lake Monroe, the largest lake in Indiana. With below-freezing temperatures and a lake covered with snow and ice of inconsistent thickness, these were perfect conditions for ice rescue training …

Three Neoteric hovercraft, left to right: Hovercraft Training Centers’ hovercraft, the Hazleton Fire Department’s rescue hovercraft, and flight instructor Steve Stafford’s personal hovercraft are ready to launch on Lake Monroe. 

The lake ice varied from solid to thin and broken – surface conditions that prohibit the use of any other vehicle. 

During the day, the three hovercraft cruised the entire length of the largest lake in Indiana, regardless of ice conditions.

Jeff Splittorf of the Hazleton Fire Department stands aboard the department’s 6-passenger Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Steve Stafford’s hovercraft with a cabin offered him some protection from the brutal weather. 

The Hazleton Fire Department’s Neoteric hovercraft flies easily across the snow and ice.

Rachel Hyneman of the Hazleton Fire Department felt that braving the cold weather was worth it, making the department even more prepared for successful ice rescues with a professionally trained crew and the most maneuverable hovercraft available.

Would a hovercraft improve your department's rescue capabilities?

Find out with a Test Flight or Training Course

Neoteric hovercraft rescues three helpless deer

If you haven't already watched the viral video of this touching deer rescue, now's the time to do so. James and Doug Kenison, owners of MedCity Hovercraft in Rochester, Minnesota used their Neoteric Hovertrek to rescue three exhausted deer, stranded on the ice for days on Albert Lea Lake. This father/son rescue mission, captured on their GoPro cameras, is a winter heartwarmer ...



Hovercraft are definite lifesaving assets in winter, especially in areas like Minnesota, "The Land of 10,000 Lakes." As CNN reported, "Hovercraft are kind of a genius idea here ... if you go out there with a snowmobile, you're in trouble - it doesn't hover; it's just a craft." Another journalist correctly observed, "Boats and jet skis are pretty useless on ice and snowmobiles fall through ice if it won't hold their weight. Hovercraft can fly over any surface, so they save many lives. If you fall through the ice, or get sucked into mud or quicksand, better hope someone locally has a hovercraft handy."

After all three deer were safely pulled to shore and returned to the forest, the Kenisons told Neoteric, "The lake wasn't totally frozen and we had to cross three stretches of open water to get to the deer, about three miles. Our Neoteric craft performed really well. Its reverse thrusters gave us the ability to quickly maneuver on the slippery ice; without them the rescue would have taken longer just to get the craft in the right position. And the hovercraft was the best option, due to the ice being thin in some places."

And in closing they added, "It was our honor and privilege to help these wonderful animals."

Leave a comment: How does this compare to other animal rescues you've seen?

More about Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft

More about MedCity Hovercraft

For ice rescues, “The Neoteric hovercraft – and training - are essential.”

How can a rescue agency determine if a hovercraft would improve their first responders’ rescue capabilities – especially in ice rescues? An excellent way is to take a hovercraft flight training course. That’s exactly what the University of Wisconsin Lifesaving Station decided to do.

The UW Lifesaving Station provides rescue services for more than 40,000 students and the citizens of Madison who frequent the nearby 4-by-5-mile Lake Mendota. But as Supervisor Chris Kleppe explained, “We have no ice rescue capabilities at the Lifesaving Station – none whatsoever. We need to have some way to get out there to someone who might be in trouble – especially the ice fishermen because they have to travel across unsafe ice to get to the safe ice to fish. ATVs won’t do that. Once we saw a fisherman out on a hovercraft - okay, the light went on.”

Sean Geib, Assistant Supervisor, added, “We’ve learned there’s no such thing as common water sense. You’d be surprised how many people will walk out onto unsafe ice. There’s no worse feeling than watching somebody fall through the ice and being unable to do anything to help them.” He continued, “We came across the Neoteric website and it seemed like you had the complete package – reverse thrusters, length of time in the industry, etc., so we decided to pursue this.”

But to let them make sure a hovercraft will suit their needs, Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald, also Senior Instructor at Hovercraft Training Centers, urged Sean and Chris to undergo pilot training on a Neoteric hovercraft before they placed their order. They agreed: “We know from just operating our rescue boats that the more training you have, the better you’re equipped to help someone out in emergency situations where your adrenaline is running high. We both also understood that a hovercraft is not a boat; this is something completely outside our realm of knowledge, so we decided it would be both advantageous and fun to get the training.”

Their training took place at HTC headquarters in Indiana on a freezing January day – showing them hands-on how well a hovercraft operates on ice. Below, view photos of their flight training, then read what they had to say about their training …

Neoteric President/Senior HTC instructor Chris Fitzgerald (right) shows Sean the easy operation of Neoteric’s specially designed hovercraft trailers, which permit lightning-fast loading and unloading by only one person
in demanding rescue operations - where time is critical.

Chris Kleppe (left) and Sean Geib (right) receive thorough preflight instructions before their first flight training session.

Both trainees and the instructor wear wireless headsets so the trainees receive constant feedback and instruction throughout their flight sessions.

At the controls, Chris Kleppe experiences why a hovercraft is the only vehicle able to safely perform rescues
on thin or broken ice – and prevents first responders from having to enter icy water.

Chris Kleppe learns how to operate the HoverTrek’s reverse thrust system, which makes it
the only hovercraft with the ability to brake, hover in place, and back up at more than 25 mph. 

The HoverTrek’s unusual buoyancy is demonstrated. This buoyancy gives all Neoteric hovercraft  incomparable stability, enabling passengers to move around with danger of the craft tipping – extremely important in rescue operations.

Sean (left) and Chris (right) receive their Hovercraft Pilot & Maintenance Certifications from  Chris Fitzgerald (center).

After their training, we received the following email from Chris Kleppe describing their experience:

“We both felt the training was very important. Floating on air is the best way to describe how it felt to me. Certainly the feeling was completely different than any other vehicles that I have piloted. Most surprising was the need to think way ahead of any maneuver that was made. Without the training, I could foresee a future disaster by way of a crash. To anyone trying to pilot the craft with no training I would say, ‘DO NOT DO IT.’ Plain and simple.

The hovercraft would be a useful tool for the Lifesaving Station during the freeze up and thaw out of the lake when the risk of someone going through the unsafe ice is very high. To perform winter lake safety work on Lake Mendota, I feel the Neoteric hovercraft would be essential.”

Learn more about the capabilities of Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft …

Learn more about the UW Lifesaving Station ...