Since the intense period of hovercraft development in the 1960s and 1970s, there has been no step-change in hovercraft skirt concepts. Instead, skirt systems have been improved and refined. The problem of reduced performance in rough weather persists but the only proven method of reducing the problem is to develop deeper cushions. The advantage of amphibious capability comes at the cost of buying and maintaining a skirt system. While the conventional bag and finger skirt system seems not to have progressed in terms of reducing these costs, some companies such as Griffon Hovercraft have concentrated on simplifying and lightening the skirt system to reduce the cost of ownership to the end user. Reducing the cost of ownership and ultimately increasing the use of hovercraft is driving Icon Polymer, not only to reexamine material selection criteria but to develop new rubber compounds and bonding systems. There have been some promising results from full-scale trials.
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