A hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle, is a vehicle or craft that can be supported by a cushion of air ejected downwards against a surface close below it, and can in principle travel over any relatively smooth surface, such as gently sloping land, water, or marshland, while having no substantial contact with it.
The world's first hovercraft race was held on March 14, 1964 in Canberra, capital of Australia.
Self-built hovercraft are ideal for hobbyists and for people for whom price is the main criterion.
The majority of leisure hovercraft are constructed from glass fibre, with recent introductions of other materials such as HDPE (High Density Polyethylene).
Some hovercraft have a tendency to nose dive or plough (plow) into water so some leisure suppliers offer anti-plough designs.
More powerful engines add weight, so suppliers need to consider many aspects to balance performance, durability, speed.