The UH-12T4 Explorer is a classic wood design featuring wood ribs and stringers with plywood skin. It's a good trainer for the beginner who likes to work with wood. Power is provided by a direct drive lift engine and a direct drive thrust engine.

This is the simplest to build wood hovercraft offered. All of the interior ribs from the stern of the craft to the bow are the same. This makes construction quick and simple as you will be building the same rib multiple times.

Direct drive engines eliminate the need for a belt drive system. This helps keep the cost and build time low while maintaining performance and simplicity. The best performing and most cost effective approach is to use a 5 horsepower lift engine and 10 horsepower thrust engine. This engine configuration is light weight, compact and inexpensive. Because of the compact size of the engines, this configuration will outperform any other engine configuration unless you decide to modify the drive system and use a belt drive system.

No welding is required to build this craft. Engine mounts integrated into the structure and the control system is assembled using bolts.

Some of our builders have chosen to upgrade the thrust system by increasing engine horsepower and adding a belt drive thrust system. This option can increase performance but also adds some complexity. Plans do not offer instruction on making this modification so if you are interested in larger engines you will have to use another plan set (12R or 15P) combined with the 12T4 for belt drive information.