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Archive for the ‘Inflatable Boats’ Category
Security, stability, buoyancy, unsinkabililty. Compared to traditional boats, an inflatable boat offers some important advantages: it is safer, lighter, more practical and more economical.
Reassuring stability
The stability of an inflatable boat, thanks to its large buoyancy tubes and resulting low center of gravity, is such that under normal circumstances it is practically impossible to capsize. This quality, which is essential to safe confident navigating, is especially appreciated by divers and fisherman.
Exceptional load capacity
Inflatable boats are capable of carrying more or maneuvering, without taking on water. This is because the buoyancy of an inflatable boat is far greater than that of a traditional boat giving it a higher loading capacity.
Security, buoyancy, unsinkabililty
The buoyancy tubes of an inflatable boats include several compartments sealed one from the other by conical bulkheads. Because of its large air reserve, the boat will stay stable and unsinkable, even with one of the independent air chambers deflated.
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Inflatable boats are easy to store and almost as light as air. Light, easy to put into the water or be pulled on the beach, an inflatable is operational in a wink and offers a variety of navigational possibilities.
Easy to store
Once deflated and folded the space taken up by an inflatable boat is so compact that transporting it and storing it becomes extremely easy. Have you ever tried shutting the car trunk on a traditional boat? Can you store a traditional boat in a closet or the corner of the garage? Packed away, an inflatable boat goes wherever you want to go.
Almost as light as air
Take a look at an inflatable boat. You see the fabric, a wooden transom, the fittings…..but you forget the air contained in the inflatable keel or in the buoyancy tubes which gives the boat its shape. Looked at this way, it is hardly surprising that a fully inflatable can be up to 3 times lighter than a comparable traditional boat.
What size boat? How heavy?
Inflatable boats come in a range that offers a variety of models adaptable to the most diverse needs. Before choosing an inflatable it is important that you ask yourself the following questions: What size? What weight?
The size
Size determines space on board and carrying capacity. It also directly influences the level of performance: a larger boat is more stable, more comfortable and easier to get planing.
The weight
Below 30 Kg/66 lbs, your inflatable is a feather weight: a primary feature for a tender. Between 30 Kg/66 lbs and 100 Kg/220 lbs, 2 to 3 people can comfortable carry it by hand. 100 Kg/220 lbs to 150 Kg/330 lbs and a trolley or launching wheels become necessary. Over 150 Kg/330 lbs, a trailer is required. However lighter than a similar rigid traditional boat, towing and launching present few problems.
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An inflatable boat is an economical boat that’s simple to maintain. An inflatable makes boating an economical sport. Inexpensive at purchase, simple to use, cheap and easy to maintain and their resale is relatively easy with good residual value.
- Reassuring stability: The stability of an inflatable, thanks to its large buoyancy tubes and resulting low center of gravity, is such that under normal circumstances it is practically impossible to capsize. This quality, which is essential to safe confident navigating, is especially appreciated by divers and fisherman.
- Their maintenance is straight forward.
- Boating can be economical. No mooring charges.
- Their resale is relatively easy with good residual value.
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A major component of an inflatable boat is obviously the fabric. Inflatable boat fabric technology has evolved greatly over the last 20 to 30 years, and now includes plastomers, polyurethanes and other fabrics, which can sometimes be stronger, lighter, thinner and less expensive to assemble than the original rubber fabrics. Of course it costs a great deal of money to develop new fabrics or even to switch manufacturing processes to use them. Many manufacturers, big and small, don’t have the will or the resources to do this, and that’s why they generally hide that fact by resorting to condemning new technological advances in fabrics.
For instance, Zodiac’s fabrics have always been on the leading edge of technology and their willingness to research and experiment has led to some innovative new fabrics. These new fabrics are developed to be the best for their intended use. Fabrics used for a small tender don’t need to be the same as those for a large RIB, because the intended use is not the same. Some manufacturers do not have the means or know-how to employ different fabrics, so they just use one. In these cases the consumer, may end up paying too much or getting too little.
Most fabrics consist of a strong, close-weave mesh of polyester or nylon material which is sandwiched between 2 coatings to provide extreme flexibility, superior air and water tightness, as well as resistance to abrasion and the sun’s UV rays. Zodiac uses a polyurethane fabric called “Strongan” and assembles their inflatable boats by thermobonding the fabric.
Heavy Duty Fabrics
Some inflatable boats are still made from a rubber-based fabric called Hypalon. While this is still a very good material, its major downfall is that it can only be joined by gluing, done manually. Problems including poor bonds, delamination of seams or fabric can still affect these glued fabrics. Today, many inflatables are manufactured from polyurethane fabrics, although larger inflatables (particularly RIBs used for rescue or military purposes) use hypalon because thicker hypalon fabrics are still considered to be stronger and more durable than polyurethane. There are some hypalon fabrics that are “2-ply” or a double unit made up of hypalon/weave/hypalon/weave/hypalon and are used for extreme situations including bumper padding, bow skirts, anti-chafe patches and similar applications.
Seams
Apart from its superior toughness and durability, Zodiac’s Strongan fabric allows the use of Zodiac’s computerized machine-welding process known as “thermobonding”, the welding of fabric using hot air. Two sealing strips are thermally bonded to the butted fabric seams in a continuous electrothermal process. A highly airtight seal is created when the narrow inner strip literally melts into the collar material. The wider exterior strip functions as a overlapping structural connection and a sealer against water penetration. Thermobonding creates seams that are typically stronger than the fabric itself and produces a better seam than any hand-gluing method.
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Zodiac’s creative genius has led it to patent a great many of its products, accessories and exclusive models. For this reason, their brand has been chosen as our demonstration unit for this section.
Hulls
- The Flat Hull
This hull usually comes with a slatted floor, making for a light, quick to set up tender. Generally reserved for boats which don’t need to plane or cover long distances.
- The V-shaped Hull
Created by combining a rigid floor with an inflatable or wood keel. This hull design helps planing. Improves navigational stability.
- The Futura Hull
Exclusive to Zodiac. Reserved for larger inflatable boats. Offers optimum handling, precision and comfort.
Floors – The floor influences total weight, time and ease of assembling
- The H2P Floor
The fully inflatable boat concept reinvented by Zodiac: the inflatable H2P air-floor is made up of two layers of fabric held together by thousands of polyester cross-stitches; when inflated to high pressure this air cushion becomes as rigid as a traditional floor, but is much lighter and takes up less space. Soft to touch the H2P air-floor absorbs bumps and resists tears.
Developed by Zodiac, the only manufacturer to master its use on large boats, the H2P is fitted to models from 2.40 m to 4.70 m.
- Roll-up Floor
If you envision a nomadic style of navigation, choose a boat where the floor can be left in place be it slats or an auto-rolling rigid floor or, the lightest and quickest of all, the H2P air-floor.
- Floorboards
If you expect to set the boat up only several times a season, the traditional floor with strengthening rails is an excellent alternative. Choose between marine plywood or aluminum, particularly resistant to shocks, or a composite floor with its inherent lightness.
Assembly
Assembly is quick and easy: just simply inflate. The whole boat fits in one bag: no lost fittings. The floor can be removed: easy maintenance.
Navigation
A light boat; easy to launch: easy to pull ashore. Smaller outboards: exceptional performance. Tenders easy to pull on board: less strain on the davits.
Decks
Two Types of Decks:
The fully equipped decks provide seating and maximize storage space, by using the area between the deck and the hull. Flat decks are for those who require free space to carry a maximum number of passengers or equipment, or for creating a customized layout.
The Hull is Fiberglass
Fitted with an inflatable buoyancy tube for added stability and safety. Particularly suited to intensive navigation on choppy water. A deep V ensures an easy ride in heavy seas. A progressive V planes quickly, even with heavy loads.
The Removable Tube System
A clever concept, for most of its semi-rigid models, the tube is equipped with a cuff that slides into a slot on the rigid hull.
To install it, slide the cuff starting from the bow into the built-in slot on each side of the rigid hull. Tightness is secured once the tube is inflated.
Entirely removable the tube can be disassembled and folded for maintenance, repair, storage and transportation.
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