Floating a Golf Cart

Hey Folks,

I live in a community with 90 miles of Golf Cart Paths and over 10,000 registered Golf Carts. This is Peachtree City, GA if anyone is familiar with it. There are also two 250 acre lakes in the city where small craft are allowed, but propulsion is limited to electric (i.e. trolling motors). I’ve been toying with the idea for several years about building an amphibious golf cart that I can drive on the trails and directly into the lake.

I envision my amphibious golf cart resembling a WWII “DUCK” as are currently used by tour companies in DC, Boston and the Wisconsin Dells (where I’ve seen them). I could build the body/hull out of aluminum or maybe even aircraft composite (using Styrofoam as a mold).

All I remember about buoyancy is the craft weight will displace an equal amount of water weight. So how large with the body/hull have to be to support the cart which I imagine will be heavy with two adults, six batteries, electric motor(s), etc. I still want to be able to drive it on the cart paths with the many turns and twists.

I don’t envision starting this project for a year or so, but it will probably take that long to figure everything out.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Craig

 

I think you just described an ARGO, in electric. The two stroke Argo's are supposed to be full of troubles and problems- but I think they are cool. Perhaps you could pick up a non-working one and convert it to electric. Lot's of them on e-bay.

http://www.argoatv.com/


Alternate:
Recreative Industries MAX
http://www.maxatvs.com/index.php?submenu=Products&src=gendocs&link=MaxII

 

I like the idea.
Fresh water weighs around 62# a cubic foot. So, the body/hull has to have enough cubic feet of volume to displace as much weight of water as everything will weigh (hull+cart+cargo+people+ etc) plus extra so you will have free board (the part of the hull above the waterline) for safety.
I do like the idea. Sam

 

Thanks for the replys.

The ARGO looks like an interesting vechical, but the vehical I produce really needs to be sized as a golf cart. Our city concil just last weeked ruled a resident cant' take his John Deere Gator on the trails (or maybe it was a Yamaha Mule) although gas powered golf carts are allowed.

I'll figure out the weight I'm trying to support and go from there.

Craig

 

Maybe you could have a fabric tarp come out like the Bradley fighting vehicle.

Perhaps inflatable rubber raft tubes like amphibious Ultra lights use.

How about a hovergolf?

Similar to this:
http://www.hoverclubofamerica.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=504&hl=hummer

 

He's limited to electric propulsion, probably because of the noise. Aren't hovercraft sort of noisy? Sam

 

You can make one quiet, but it's typically not done for a lot of reasons.

The problem with making a hovercraft conform to "boat rules" is that it's not a boat. For instance if there is a HP limit intended to keep wake or water born pollution limited, these rules are designed for displacement hulls not hovering hulls.

I think inflatable floats would be best for this project, always inflated.

You can't take a heavy craft be it boat or car and convert it into a hovercraft as much as I'd like to. You can make almost anything hover on ice.

The Bradley has a habit of sinking and drowing it's crew, maybe not the best model to emulate.

 

Maybe if you learnt to play golf better, you wouldn't have to take such drastic action to get your golf ball back.

 

I suppose it means adding 'aft' to your vocabulary as well as 'fore'....

 

Yeah but Kach the bradley normally only sinks once! bit of a bugger finding after that - unless you can hold yer breath and drive like mad!