The airboat has become synonymous with the Everglades. And for good reason: These flat-bottomed boats, powered by giant fans, are ideal for navigating South Florida’s unique terrain. In several areas, the water is so shallow that a traditional below-water motor would easily get caught. Today, a cottage industry of airboat tours operates throughout the region.
The airboat, however, wasn’t invented for the Everglades. Alexander Graham Bell — yes, the inventor of the telephone — is credited with creating the first one. Called the Ugly Duckling, it skimmed across the waters of Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1905. The rough prototype featured an open airplane propeller attached to a rear engine.
The concept caught on. Similar versions were built for military use in World War I, and in 1920, an early motorcycle enthusiast and aviation pioneer named Glenn Curtiss designed his own airboat to aid his bow-and-arrow hunting in the Everglades.
Over time, Floridian entrepreneurs began making their own versions. By the 1940s, airboats were being produced commercially.
Modern airboats can reach speeds up to 130 mph, though a sightseeing trip through the swamps typically tops out at around 30 mph.
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