Inflatables, pros & cons?

[Splint]

Hi,
inflatables allways seems to have been a niche market, often used in surf rescue and millitary applications. I'm curious to know peoples oppinions and pros and cons of inflatables and why recreational boat users tend not to use them.

Cheers
Splint

[Willallison]

As a tender they simply can't be beat. Stable, unsinkable, light, built in fender won't damage your boat, built in seating etc etc etc.
Don't like barnacles or oyster shells though...

[cyclops]

The only 2 reasons I have heard are from 1950. Quality and looks. Today they CAN have excellent quality. Most people give them to the kids to beat the crap out of. They take it better than a hard boat.----------------------------------- Appearence. Never gives the EGO trip as a first line boat 40 years old and really a piece of junk. That is life with a good inflatable.

[jfblouin]

Inflatables are widely use in Europa. The market leader is RIB (Rigid ifnlatable boat). In North America, Zodiac try to rise the market with is to look good on TV CZ7. http://www.zodiaccz7.com/

Inflatables Pro: Light weight and seaworthy small boat. Very low free board with sport look. You feel like a partner with the sea.

Inflatable Con: High cost for a so small boat. Relative short life (PVC, 80% of market)(most tubes are done after 15 years).

[Wynand N]

Make excellent fishing boats and very stable, a desirable feature for fishing.

Con: Dislikes hooks, fish spines and other sharp things.....

[cyclops]

My rides were in a chop and we had to really hang on as they will not cut thru anything over 1' high with a light load. They do climb over anything higher and are a handfull in a chop and wind. RIB's with a deep V and a full load should be better.--------------They can cost so much $ for so little material. Per pound some cost much much more than any mega yacht.---------------------We used to call them self-propelled life rings.

[Willallison]

As long as you are prepared to fork out the extra $ for hypalon tubes (not pvc) inflatables will last a long time. We have 4 in our family. One is 25 years old and still going strong.

[cyclops]

That IS the QUALITY that is available today. They, Hypalon boats, outlive the original owners.

[kach22i]

Water does not compress, air does. So in theory you can get a smoother ride.

http://www.riverconnection.com/maravia_new_wave.htm

Maravia's TOUGH Class VI base fabric and the best URETHANE coating on the market - over 40 times the abrasion resistance of PVC and over 15 times the abrasion resistance of Hypalon.

Is Hypalon a "coating"?

Is Urethane better than Hypalon?

Many hovercraft skirts use "neoprene ", where would you rate that coating?

[marshmat]

Inflatables do tend to be more stable, can give smoother rides than hard hulls. Great tenders because they're light and don't scratch the paint. But being so flexible, their hull shape changes slightly when under load, when planing, when turning and so they take a lot more power than rigid hulls. My 5-metre wood-and-fibreglass hull does 30mph with 30hp; most inflatables I've seen in this size and weight that run the same speed need a 50hp motor to do so.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by marshmat

But being so flexible, their hull shape changes slightly when under load, when planing, when turning and so they take a lot more power than rigid hulls.

Interesting observations.............trying to absorb it's meaning right now.

FYI: Many of the racing hovercraft use finger skirts in lieu of the bag skirts. The bag skirts more or less can act like inflatables. The finger skirts actually deform more and are under less shape holding pressure. Then again hovercraft have a captured bubble of air constanly escaping out of the bottom.

Just trying to put this in perspective, sorry if it's a side track.

[yokebutt]

What's a "finger skirt"?

Yokebutt.

[kach22i]

Long story, hi-jacking this thread in a way.

http://www.australianhovercraft.com/design_skirts.htm

I used the word "Finger" in lieu of "Segmented" but they are more or less the same thing. They can be attached to a "Bag" skirt, but don't have to be. The fingers or segmented loops of fabric can be attached to a rigid hull or ducted chamber that ports/manages the air around the craft sides.





Deformation of the skirt (the part in contact with the water surface) can be a good thing, or at least less resistence than allowing a firmer bag to "dig into" the water causing higher resistance.

I'm trying to make the mental connection of a inflatable boat side digging into the water, or as hinted at "deforming" and causing increased resistance. Perhaps this is a classic case of comparing "Apples to Oranges".

[kach22i]

I think I've figured this out.

Inflatables have LESS displacement depth than a Vee hull, but equal boyuancy and yet it's over a larger surface area. This larger area in a shallower draft equates to more surface area in contact with the water, hence more friction, hence an increased power requirement.

The deflection is an interesting factor I'm still trying to put in perspective. I used to try to row (double oar) my inflatable. It would flex in the middle like a wiggle worm. The wave this created was very power robbing - as 90% of my stroke went into making a wake wave and not foreward motion.

[hmattos]

We manufactured Rigid Inflatables in England. Over 50% of all new sportsboats in Europe are now RIBs. Customers feel safe in them and there is not the same risk of swamping in rough water as there is with a bowrider. We will happily put 10 people in a 6metre 19' 8" boat and still expect to get 55 plus mph with a 225 Evinrude. Equally the boat will give a dry ride with less aboard in a 3 - 4 metre sea, so wave jumpiung is a real thrill for the young ones. And yes as there is a 18" soft fender all round you do not damage your boat or the pontoon when you come up a little out of line.
We build three different hullforms 15 degree 22 degree and 28 degree so the customer can really get the boat they need for the job - have a look at the site : www.explorermarine.co.uk for details, but sorry we do not sell to the US.
Regards to you all
Hug Mattos
Explorer Marine