I saw some Air Boats working flood relief on TV,how long has the CG had them.?

I saw that too and was wondering the same thing. I can think of a few SAR cases in the Everglades/Florida Bay when I could have used one of those while stationed at Islamorada.

Don

I think they would be good in that you don't have to worry about the motor,screw getting fouled or broke by underwater objects,I guess there are pros and cons in how they handle.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: chief74Ret,

They had two working in South Minnesota- I bet a few more in the Southern US. I bet they're great with all that debris under water. They seem to be becoming more and more popular. It's weird not seeing them surrounded by Florida gators and weeds.

D9 has some airboats, used mainly for ice rescue when the water is in it's natural state of ice. A bunch were taken down to N'awlens when Katrina came through, also.

D9 recieved two different sizes(18' and 20') in the winter of 2003-2004. We had the majority of them in the Detroit AOR. Nice boat that does wonders on the snow and ice (pretty dam fast). It's a boat that is cool to drive but you have to be thinking way ahead and have your escape routes handy.

you havent experienced anything until you drive a skiff with a 496 chevy on back through downtown neighborhoods. they will however beat the ever living crap out of you on the ice if you dont go SLOW.

CGSta Saginaw River's Airboat in the early 80's...

practicality aside, those things just look damn fun to drive!

Hurricane Katrina





Ice Rescue

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Husky Pic Gallery

I've used airboats in swamps and I know that I wouldn't want to traditional versions in a flooded urban area. Depending on the model, they're not that stable.

Now, the version pictured above with the airboat engine on more traditional boat frame might be ok due to the deep draft. Still, the penchant for the backdraft to kick stuff up might be kind of hazardous to others.

STA Marblehead had 1 that looked this in 1987:

We had one at Station Belle Isle in Detroit in the late 78/79. It look like the one from station Marblehead above.

TACLET Miami had a couple RHIB airboats in the 1990s.

There are a couple YouTube videos of CG airboat ops in Fargo:

"Coast Guard conduct neighborhood sweeps by airboat in Fargo"

There's a pretty good article on these boats archived in "On Scene" mag section of CG web site. Also talks about ice rescue school.

I see a new rate for the USCG on the horizon. ABM-Aviation Boatswains Mate. We could call them BAM-BAM's

quote:

I see a new rate for the USCG on the horizon. ABM-Aviation Boatswains Mate. We could call them BAM-BAM's

The Navy already has that rate,the CG will have to appoint a board to commission the BM insignia for that rate,I suggest ASR,AIR SURFACE RESCUE

quote:

Originally posted by a47mlb:


Hurricane Katrina





Ice Rescue

Another ET2 and I configured and mounted all of the electronics, lights and headphones for the four air boats like this one that have the eagle on the tail rudders. That was in the first part of 2005 in Orange, TX. I was stationed at ESD New Orleans at the time. They were built mainly for Ice Rescue for D9. I also saw them in New Orleans after Katrina.