BHC700/750D Hovercraft
We are proud to announce our collaboration with Keith Smallwood of Vortex Hovercraft Services to present our latest addition to the BHC model range, the eagerly awaited BHC700/750D Hovercraft.
This versatile hovercraft is a twin engine craft capable of carrying up to 9 passengers, depending on specification chosen.
The BHC700/750D is perfect for commercial/utility, search/response & rescue applications, with various specs & options including a cockpit cuddy for easy deck access, or a partially enclosed deck, or a fully enclosed upgrade option with climate control, luxury seating and accessories.
BHC700/750D Hovercraft
All craft have quick release seating to give the option of either more deck space or more seating capacity.
The ergonomic design of the craft means the pilot sits well up front with excellent visibility to the surroundings to enable easy manoeuvrability at slow speeds and perfect control when flying at speed. The twin engines providing individual lift and thrust allows for superb control when needed at very low speeds and superb wave handling while out at sea.
With the 3 specification options, additional seating can be added or removed depending on application with additional equipment or electrical outlets fitted on request. We can offer a wide range of optional extras including navigation, deck/search lighting, plotter, stretcher, radar etc for commercial use – or we can include some luxurious touches for the passenger enclosed spec craft.Now for the technical bits…
The engines fitted are reliable and only need simple maintenance, the Vortex design concept of this craft is to keep it simple and reliable.The fan assembly runs at the slowest optimal rpm to keep parts wear and noise to a minimum.
The segmented skirt with high pressure skirt loop at the front & rear is the best design solution for the craft of this size, giving excellent ride quality as well as durability and stability; the replacement finger skirt segments ensure quick maintenance to keep the craft up and running.The hard structure clearance is around 300mm – the inflatable side bodies with their separate sealed buoyancy chambers ensure that not only is the craft positively buoyant due to the internal buoyancy foam, but there is flexibility in the outer structure allowing it to ‘give’ and avoid being easily damaged.
The footprint area of a hovercraft defines its load carrying capabilities, this ‘load’ not only refers to what it can carry but also the structural weight. Lift fan systems used on small/medium craft up to 10m long are limited to producing pressure equivalent to approximately 22lb sq. foot, however the BHC700/750D has a theoretical maximum weight of 2.05tons.
However sustaining 22lb of force is not efficient or reliable so at BHC we limit the design figures to approx 15lb so giving a much truer all up weight of 1.4tons i.e 600-750kg hull weight and 700kg of load.