Project #5 from EmptyNester - Thrust Duct Support for Hovercraft

[EmptyNester]

I take it those pillow block bearings and shaft hold the prop. What absorbs the thrust?

The platform the pillow blocks are on is epoxied and fiberglassed to the deck. It really doesn't seem like it would be strong enough, but these designs have been around forever and are apparently pretty robust.

I guess that one consideration is that when you are on a cushion of air, you have very little friction so that may reduce the chance of failure. They do call for 1/8" aluminium tube to stabilze the platform against the back of the cockpit. That didn't seem like enough for my comfort - so my other project was making supports out of 1 1/2" angle with 1/2" conduit. (Link: http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...om-EmptyNester)

The first picture shows it sitting in place before it was attached. The second shows it attached. The third thumbnail was an accident and I couldn't figure out how to delete it from the post.