I looked into building a hovercraft a few years ago. The idea didn't go anywhere, but from my research I can tell you gas-powered leaf-blowers are by far the easiest way to go in terms of lifting power, unless you're planning on making your own fan blades and hooking them up to a car engine or something similar.
You won't get very far if you use an electrically-powered lift fan, unless you plan on hauling a few hundred pounds of battery around (or unless you have a really long extension cable
).
Oh, and if you're really in a hurry, an upside-down life raft can make an acceptable skirt.
Good luck in your efforts!