This is the hovercraft web site for Howard Boyle

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512 construction

On this page  I have added  information on the Canair 512 hovercrafts of which only 7 were made before the company went out of business.  The tooling and production costs for the 512 put a significant financial strain on the company.   These crafts are nominally 12 seat commercial crafts and are typically used for ferry and freight service.  There really are not many pictures of these crafts so I have to find and ask the owners and prior owners for the pictures.  I very much appreciate their helping document these fine crafts. 
Canair Company History 512 Hovercraft Construction Pictures 512 Operators Manual PDF 10.6 MB 512 Maintenance Manual PDF 26.1 MB
Rainbow Hovercrafts was a business that was started in Long Beach, California to provide scenic hovercrafts rides of the Los Angeles River and the areas around the Queen Mary when the ship was docked there.  The company purchased and operated two Canair 512 hovercrafts at that location.  Jack Boyd was one of the pilots of the 512 crafts in Long Beach and he has graciously allowed me to post his pictures of the Rainbow Hovercraft 512s.  Jack mentioned to me that it took $1million to put the first hovercraft in the water in Long Beach with all the regulatory and other costs they incurred.  They charged $25 a person for a 30 minute tour.  In the end, the revenue was not enough to sustain the business and it closed.  The serial numbers for the two 512 crafts were QHO20006M99L and QHO20007M00B which were the 6th and 7th 512 crafts built respectively by Canair.
Here are Jack Boyd's pictures of the Rainbow Hovercraft hovercrafts.  They must have had a lot of fun flying them in California! 
Click on the picture to see a short Real Media movie of the Canair 512.
Long Beach Harbor

LONG BEACH — The first two in an eventual fleet of futuristic hovercrafts are now in service at Dock 2 in Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbor, adjacent to the Long Beach Aquarium. The Rainbow Hovercraft experience includes a ride on a six-passenger craft that begins as a boat, hovers similar to a helicopter, and eventually flies like an airplane.

Hovercraft passengers are treated to a one-of-a-kind 30-minute "flight" across Long Beach coastal waves. Each cruise includes a unique, narrated look at numerous points of interest as passengers leave Rainbow Harbor and glide up the Los Angeles River. The ride also features thrilling maneuvers, including 360-degree spins, take-offs and landings, and "slip-slides." No two hovercraft rides are exactly the same, since water and wind conditions are constantly changing.

Several different types of hovercrafts are used around the world, primarily by the military and search and rescue teams, but the Rainbow Hovercraft is the only one of its type in the continental United States that is U.S. Coast Guard approved for passenger transport, according to Paul Buckley, Rainbow Hovercraft vice president.

"We’re bringing the excitement of flying above the water to locals and tourists," Buckley said.

The hovercrafts look very similar to a space shuttle, with sleek contours and a rounded nose in the front. The crafts weigh less than most family cars (3,400 pounds), stand just under six feet, and are powered by twin Honda aircraft engines and two multi-wing fans.

Rainbow Hovercrafts are flown by Coast Guard-licensed hovercraft captains.

Both crafts depart the harbor every half-hour, with tickets priced at $25 per person (discounts apply to groups and children). Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.

For more information, contact Rainbow Hovercraft LLC, 429-P Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach, CA 90802; (562) 436-6200; www.rainbowhovercrafts.com.

 

The 5th 512 built, serial number QHO20005M99K sold on 12/15/04 to a new owner in Canada.  It has the Cam 125 engines and the cold weather polycarbonate side panels option.  This craft was first sold in the Summer of 1999 to a company for use in the Artic.   It was used there for about one season and then moved back south to Canada.   Here are some pictures of it:
The 2nd 512 built, serial number QHO20002M99A has the distinction of being a rescue craft.  It was used to rescue eight ice fisherman from Lake Superior a few weeks after it was delivered to a private owner.  This craft has the Cam 100 engines.  I believe these are the pictures of the craft.

Here are some pictures of the 3rd 512 which is the one I purchased.  It has the side bodies were removed while the craft was stored in Canada.  The bottom row of pictures are of the craft as delivered by Lew Adkins in Houston, TX.  It is a BIG craft. This one is serial number QHO20003M99I which means it is a Canair 512 model, hull number 3 and was made in April of 1999.  The trailer is also pretty large and has three axles all with breaks!  The top of the trailer can be jacked up with electric jacks and the wheel section pulled out.  Then the top can be lowered on the ground to launch the hovercraft on land.  That is a different design.