The most practical and consistent use of hovercraft since their invention has been transporting people, vehicles, and equipment across terrain that other vehicles simply can’t negotiate.  Large hovercraft ferries take hundreds of people and cars at a time across the choppy and dangerous waters of the English Channel every day.  Hovercraft ferries are common in many countries, sometimes replacing traditional boats for this purpose.  Hovercraft used in this capacity are both safer and faster than boats.

      Similar to ferries are touring operations.  Touring hovercraft usually seat about 20 people and operate much like boats.  Some serve food and are heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer.  The captain will frequently narrate the tour, which might be 20 minutes to an hour long.  In the past there have been tours like this in Ottawa, Gananoque, Vancouver, and across the desert sands of southern Alberta near Dinosaur Provincial Park.

      Many oilfield companies use large flat-deck hovercraft to transport equipment across swamps and mud.  This saves the oil industry considerable time and money since they don’t have to wait for the ground to dry, and they can reach places that are otherwise impossible to reach.  Helicopters are sometimes used to haul equipment, but hovercraft built for this purpose are able to carry significant weight and are far safer and cheaper than helicopters.

      The U.S. Navy uses hovercraft so massive they can each carry 5 full-sized armoured tanks.  They have an entire fleet of these monster hovercraft.  They can carry tanks across terrain where boats and other vehicles can’t go, and into locations where tanks have never gone before.  I’ve even heard rumours of the U.S. Navy having their own secret hovercraft research and development program.  Other military hovercraft include the British Royal Marines, who apparently operate over 50 military hovercraft of various sizes.  Some of their larger vessels were in the first wave of vehicles to go to Iraq when the war began in early 2003 (photo to right).  They are ideal for safely patrolling both land and water, and are fully outfitted with armour plating and gigantic machine guns.

      The Canadian Coast Guard has been using hovercraft for patrol and rescue missions for several decades, again because they are safer and faster than boats, especially in the rough and sometimes frigid waters off the coast of B.C.  These craft have performed countless rescues of capsized boats.

      Golf courses can use small hovercraft instead of other utility vehicles because they don’t damage the ground.  A hovercraft can fly over waterlogged or freshly laid grass, as well as water and sand traps without causing any damage.  They are used to spray fertilizer and grass seed, and can even be used to give rides in the winter when most golf courses are closed and making no money.

      Many environmental and geological companies use hovercraft to take water and soil samples in remote or sensitive areas because they don’t affect the water and ground that is being sampled.  They are used to spray insecticides, and can fly over fish breeding ponds, dry riverbeds, mud flats, and shallows without disturbance or damage.

      A very common use for small hovercraft is thin ice and rapids rescue.  Hovercraft are the only vehicles in the world that can fly safely and freely over thin ice and rapid water without difficulty.  They can easily go from open water, to ice, to rapids, to pavement.  They aren’t affected by currents or tides, and can even fly upstream on rapids.  They don’t break the ice that a victim may be clinging to, and can deploy onto rapids much faster than it takes to string up ropes and harnesses using old techniques.  This is a real breakthrough for the rescue community, and makes the whole process so much safer by keeping the rescuers themselves out of danger.

      Thrill rides on small hovercraft are becoming increasingly popular around the world, and usually involve 1 or 2 passengers at a time.  These rides take passengers out spinning tight donuts and drifting sideways across lakes, rivers, beaches, and fields, and are a pure adrenaline rush.

      For yacht owners, hovercraft are practical and fun tender vehicles, as they are able to transport people and supplies from ship to shore with ease, even in places without docks or boat slips.

      Hovercraft are also perfect for 12-month cottage and island access.  Whether the lake is frozen or not, at low or high tide, fast moving or still, makes no difference.  You can set down on water and fish from them, or take a picnic lunch to a quiet beach.

      They can also be used as scuba diving platforms.  The flat bottoms of small hovercraft make them far more stable than boats when at rest.  And as mentioned, you don’t need a dock or boat slip.

      Popular with the younger crowd is racing.  This has been going on for many years in very organized circuits, with competitions held all over the world.  These hovercraft are small, loud, and extremely fast, turning almost vertical when going into sharp turns, and are amazing to watch.  It's a shame Canada has been left out of this great sport.

      So hovercraft are enjoying a wide range of uses these days.  One can only imagine how many more uses will develop, especially as hovercraft become even more safe, quiet, and easy to use.