Doesn't she look great!

    I've had it hovering for about a week before this pic and having a lot of fun in the mean time!

    Side view.  I would have had it completely finished by 5-16-01, but some A-hole hit me in my car at a 4 way, and ran. No info at all, not even a plate #.  $4000 worth of damage.  I've been dealing with that, and trying to figure out where the $500 for the deductible will come from :-(  SOB!!

    Well, here it is.  Sunday, July 15th '01 I took her out for the first time after working like made Saturday to get her ready.  I took her down the ramp for the first time, very nervously and she did well.  However, I immediately remembered I hadn't cut the drain holes in the skirt, so I did a 180 and returned.  The ramp was very steep, but the LHD made it up nicely.  I cut the holes, and down she went again.  After making a few runs, I gave my brother a ride.  She performed just as well with two people as she did with just me which is exactly what I was looking for.  Anywhoo, when I brought her up for the last time, I did a 180 at the top of the ramp, and didn't kill the lift engine soon enough.  SMACK, right into a dock, brutally destroying the thrust duct.  I had to rip it off because it wouldn't have survived the trip back home.  Oh well, time to make a new one.  I am bummed, though.

    Here she is with a new thrust duct which is not more than 3 days old in this picture.   I managed to make it to the Muscoda Hovering this year with the LHD.  Minus a small fuel problem with the thrust engine (needs an electric fuel pump), she performed better than I had hoped.

    The first run was great.  No trouble at all.  Dennis Alm went out with me to make sure I made it back safe.  I did, and did a few high speed fly-bys as well.  I never got an official number, but I'm guessing she pulls in at around 40 mph.

    Coming in for a landing!  What a great weekend I had.  I would like to thank Linda Weber for hosting such a wonderful Hoverin.  It was loads of fun!  I would also like to give a special thanks to Dennis Alm for helping me out numerous times, but mainly with my trailer wheel bearing trouble.  Thank you, Dennis, I owe you one (or two, or 50!)  Also, I need to thank my girlfriend, Brenda, for putting up with me while I tooled around with my hover.  You were a great sport, and lots of support!

    Just movin' the hover out of the way.

    Haha, me havin' some fun.

    Coming in for another landing.  I couldn't keep my hands off of my hover.  If you own a hover, I'm sure you know what I mean.

    My thrust engine needs a fuel pump as it's being starved for fuel.  It quite on me a few times out on the water, but I was always able to get it started again.  This was one of those times.  The fuel pump has been bought, and will be installed soon.

    Time for a redesign.  I never really liked the cockpit sides, so I decided to do something about it.  What do you think?  Also, I ripped off the lower portion of the dashboard and redid that as well.  Both engines are off and I'm in the process of coating the craft with epoxy.  Also, to prevent water from seeping in through screw holes, I've begun to drill out every hole with a 3/8" bit and filling them with thickened epoxy.  When cured, I'll drill new holes for the screws.  That way the water has no place to go.  I new that West Systems How-To book would come in handy someday :-)