Does anyone know what this is?

[Napoleon]

I was biking last summer on the Towpath Trail of the old Ohio and Erie canal, which has been turned into a hiking and biking trail and saw this. It is a Skidoo looking vehicle but has a huge fan in the center. I am not sure it it just propels the thing forward or if it also has a hover craft feature. It had the look of something from, say, the 70's.

[mapguy]

Looks like some sort of swamp buggy. I didn't know there were swamps in Ohio.

[Napoleon]

On the off chance you are not giving me a hard time, it is sitting on a trailer. The wheels are not part of it.

[rosawendel]

it's a balcony with a fence for a guardrail.

[emjaya]

The Hurricane?


The Hurricane was built in Toledo, Ohio in the 1970's by a company called Windcraft M&M. It was the next generation design to the Skim-Air, otherwise known as the flying bathtub. Designed by Mike Clare, who went on to become one of the six founding directors of the Hovercraft Club of America, this particular craft is set apart from most "typical" hovercrafts in that the engine in placed in the front of the vehicle rather than the rear. The rider sits upon it much like a jetski or motorcycle.

Early incarnations of the craft used a single Chaparral/Xenoah 484cc snowmobile engine generating 45.5HP @ 7,000 RPM. The engine drove a 4-blade wooden prop that generated both lift and thrust. Later versions of the Hurricane were to include a 60HP water-cooled engine driving a 10-blade fiberglass fan.

The craft itself is made of fiberglass with two wooden runners on the bottom. It has a traditional bag skirt that it floats on. The controls are like those on a motorcycle with a twist grip throttle and handlebars that move two fiberglass pabels at the base of the tail to direct air flow. It was certified as a boat by the USCG and has the required lighting and moorings so it can be ridden over water.

[Napoleon]

Emjaya, where did you see that at. From what I could observe that is exactly what that was (right down to the wooden 4 blade prop). I could not locate any info about it on the intertubes using the Google and figured somebody hear would know what it was off the top of their head.

[Methanolandbrats]

I think it's a panorama of a rednecks yard :gomer:

[nrc]

That's probably cached from the former Wikipedia page which was deleted because nobody could prove it existed.

Here's a guy with a whole bunch of pics and info about trying to get one going again. Interesting that it looks very similar, but not identical to the other one. Maybe just the result of the fact that it was a very early, low production unit.

http://www.wideopenwest.com/~foxxinabox/hurricane/index.htm

[Don Quixote]

Thing has Schwinn handlebars. :laugh:

[Napoleon]

That's probably cached from the former Wikipedia page which was deleted because nobody could prove it existed.

Here's a guy with a whole bunch of pics and info about trying to get one going again. Interesting that it looks very similar, but not identical to the other one. Maybe just the result of the fact that it was a very early, low production unit.

http://www.wideopenwest.com/~foxxinabox/hurricane/index.htm

Ugh, can't get you link to open, but WTF on Wikipedia. You have to "prove" something exist if someone challenges you? Whats up with that and how do you do that?

I went and tried to see if I could locate an overhead of the machine I saw on Google Maps but could not. It is a little hard to follow the trail on the map and I am not entirely certain exactly where I saw it (though I am fairly sure it was north of, but close to, Canton, Ohio.

[oddlycalm]

Wow, great obscure mechanical contraption find :thumbup:

oc

[Gnam]

I went and tried to see if I could locate an overhead of the machine I saw on Google Maps but could not. It is a little hard to follow the trail on the map and I am not entirely certain exactly where I saw it (though I am fairly sure it was north of, but close to, Canton, Ohio.

3571 Erie Ave NW
Massillon, OH 44646

Just north of the intersection with Ontario St NW.
North of Massillon, OH. West of Canton.

[Ankf00]

Thing has Schwinn handlebars. :laugh:

Commercial Off The Shelf before its time. :tony:

[Napoleon]

3571 Erie Ave NW
Massillon, OH 44646

Just north of the intersection with Ontario St NW.
North of Massillon, OH. West of Canton.

How do you know that? You are right, that is it.

I knew it was on Erie Street and I searched everywhere the path came close to Erie with buildings in between. With that address the GPS is 40.833018, -81.524895, but it looks like its not there but in any event satellite photograph resolution is not that good on Google Maps.

[Don Quixote]

This is cool.

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCC&cp=qt4ymh865n93&style=b&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=27734655&where1=3571%20Erie%20Ave%20NW%20Massillon%2C%20OH% 2044646&encType=1

[Napoleon]

Don,

That is a lot better view then the Google Maps and you can actually see it in the back yard.

[G.]

holey ****ing stalkerz!

(cool)

[mapguy]

On the off chance you are not giving me a hard time,

Would I ever do that?

[Napoleon]

Would I ever do that?

Yes

[Dvdb]

Hello Big Brother (or google), I'll be playing grab ass with the girlfriend tommorrow night somewhere in Missouri.

Game on

[mapguy]

Yes

I see you're still sore over the gardening with the flowery hat comment from a few years ago. :p:p

[Napoleon]

Hello Big Brother (or google), I'll be playing grab ass with the girlfriend tomorrow night somewhere in Missouri.

Game on

I understand that Google has repurposed a satellite for your big show tonight. I hope the pressure doesn't effect your performance.




I see you're still sore over the gardening with the flowery hat comment from a few years ago. :p:p

I was deeply hurt! ;)