Airboat builder comparison
Ask every airboat builder the same five questions and get the answers in writing.
Step 1 of 5: The hull
Bottom plate thickness sets how much shell, rock and stump contact a hull absorbs before it needs repair.
Heavier plate buys durability at the cost of weight, so it should match how hard the boat will run.
Patriot builds on a 1/4 inch bottom.
Step 2 of 5: The engine
Size the engine to the payload and the water you run, not to a horsepower figure.
An underpowered boat labors when loaded, and an oversized one costs more to buy and to run.
Patriot offers four packages, gas and diesel, from 450 to 665 hp, matched to the job the boat does.
Step 3 of 5: The warranty
Compare coverage part by part. Hull structure, stainless and engine usually carry separate terms.
Constant vibration is hard on welds and hardware, and the term lengths show what a builder expects to last.
Patriot covers the hull structure for life, stainless steel for 5 years, and the engine for 3 years or 200 hours.
Step 4 of 5: The shop
Warranty claims and repairs run through the builder’s shop.
Distance turns every service visit into lost days on the water.
Tap the town closest to where you run.
46 miles from Lake Charles, LA to Patriot’s shop in Vidor, Texas.
Straight-line miles from the shop.
Step 5 of 5: Build time
Get the build window in writing before you commit.
A boat that arrives after opening day costs you the season.
At Patriot, once your turn in line has come, it takes 17 days to build an airboat.
These can slow a custom build at any shop. Ask about each one before you order.
Tap each one to see the question to ask.
Patriot’s standard range is 16 to 26 ft, for hunting boats and work boats alike. If a job needs a different size, Patriot can build it.
Tap a question to open the answer.
Patriot has built custom airboats since 1997. Sheriff’s offices, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Coast Guard run Patriots, and the Coast Guard bought eight boats on two orders.
It adds weight. Tell the builder what you carry and where you run, so it can match the engine to the load.
If you need a boat this season, a used one can make sense. Every used airboat Patriot lists gets the same final check sheet as a new build.
See used airboatsStart in Patriot’s 3D airboat builder. Pick a hull, an engine and your gear, then send the build to the shop.
Open the 3D airboat builderTell the shop what your boat has to do. Mon to Fri, 8am to 4pm Central.
