For any owner of inflatable watercraft concept bottom-stiffness This is the key to planning for a water trip, and it's the parameter that determines how comfortable you'll feel when you're fishing or cruising, and how a boat will behave when you're facing a wave. In inflatable boat designs, especially inflatable floor models (BBB) or classic flatbeds, this is done by a special flooring called sludge, which is not just a floor, but a complex system that provides longitudinal and transom rigidity of the entire structure.
Many beginners often confuse slate with other elements of tooling, not understanding the difference between functional decking and decorative or protective elements of the board. Slate. It's a hard base that passengers, cargo and can mounts rely on, and without good decking, the boat becomes a erratic porridge where you can't make a confident move. In this article, we'll go into detail about what modern decking is made of, how to properly mount it, and why saving on it can cost you safety on the water.
Understanding the bottom is essential when you buy a boat, because the type of flooring is what the weight of the whole kit is and how long it takes to get ready for launch. If you plan frequent trips with quick assembly, some solutions will work for you, and for long expeditions with a lot of cargo, completely different. Let's figure out what technologies are used by manufacturers today and what to choose for your use case.
Functional purpose and device decking
The main purpose of the sleigh is to create a flat, hard surface that can handle the weight of people and equipment, and unlike the inflatable floor, which can bend under your feet, the hard flooring distributes the pressure evenly throughout the cylinder area, which prevents them from over-deforming and abrasive. hard-bottom It significantly improves the hydrodynamic specifications of the boat, allowing it to go faster for planing when using the motor.
Structurally, slate is a set of slabs or a single sheet that fits inside an inflatable hull. Depending on the boat model, these slabs can be connected in a variety of ways, from simple overlapping to complex articulation systems. It's important to understand that properly assembled slate works like a keelson, giving the boat the necessary longitudinal rigidity. Without this element, the bow of the vessel could rise under the pressure of water, making control impossible.
⚠️ Attention: Never use a boat with damaged sleigh elements. Cracks or chips on the ends of the plates can damage the inner surface of the cylinders, leading to depressurization and an emergency on the water.
Modern materials allow you to create decking that is not afraid of water, ultraviolet light and mechanical stresses, most often aviation aluminum or multilayer water-resistant plywood. Each material has its advantages: aluminum is light and eternal, and plywood is cheaper and provides better thermal insulation, the choice between them depends on your priorities: maximum lightness or budget availability.
The main types of slate: from plywood to aluminum
The PVC boat accessories market offers several basic bottom-making options. plywoodIt is a sheet of moisture-resistant plywood, often coated with a special varnish or film to protect against moisture, which is heavier than aluminum flooring, but it is warmer and more pleasant to the touch, but with prolonged storage in the collected state or when water enters through the damaged coating of plywood can deflate.The second popular option is aluminum profiles. Aluminum slate It's made up of individual slats connected by a cable or hinge, or solid sheets of corrugated aluminum, and the main advantage of this solution is that it's completely immune to water and corrosion. It doesn't rot, it doesn't swell, it lasts for decades. It's a rigged surface that provides great adhesion to shoes, which is critical for safety when you're on a wet boat.
There are also combinations and specialized solutions, such as slate mats, which are soft but rigid mats made of reinforced foams, lightweight, water-free and rolled up, which is convenient for transportation, but they don't provide the stiffness required for high-powered motors or standing fishing. The choice of flooring type should be based on operating conditions: plywood is suitable for quiet water and small motors, for high speeds and frequent trips, aluminum.
When choosing aluminum sleigh, pay attention to the thickness of the sheet. The optimal thickness for a reliable decking is at least 1.5-2 mm, the thinner metal can deform under the weight of an adult.
Slate-mat: features and scope of application
The slate mat is a relatively new solution, which is a flexible but resilient sheet material, often with a cellular structure. Unlike rigid slabs, it doesn't require complex assembly and fitting. It just spreads out on the bottom of the boat, taking its shape, and it's ideal for low-pressure inflatable boats, where maximum tightness and no hard elements are important to damage the cameras.
The advantage of mats is that they are lightweight and compact in their transportation form. They don't scratch the inside of the cylinders even when they're in active use. But they also have disadvantages: they don't provide a hard base for mounting heavy anchors or gearboxes at a single point, so the load will be slapped by the mat. And it's easier to slide on a wet mat than on corrugated aluminum, which requires special care.
The use of slant-matter is justified in the following cases:
- 🌊 For inflatable floor boats (BBBs), where floor elasticity is important.
- 🎒 For tourists, where every kilogram of equipment weight matters.
- 🛶 For boats used primarily for swimming or sunbathing where a hard floor is not required.
When using mats, it is important to keep them clean. Sand and fine dirt, getting between cells or under the mat, can work as an abrasive. Regular washing and drying of such flooring is mandatory, otherwise it can become a source of unpleasant odor and a breeding ground for bacteria.
Technology of assembly and installation of rigid flooring
The process of putting slugs into a boat requires a certain sequence of actions: improper assembly can cause the boat to skew, make it difficult to pump cylinders or, in the worst case, damage the hull material. Hard sheet decks (plywood, aluminum) are characterized by stacking from nose to stern or vice versa, depending on the design of the particular boat model.
Before you install the sleigh, you have to completely straighten the cylinders of the boat, but not inflate them to working pressure. This makes it easy to move heavy slabs inside the shell. If you use a set sleigh of separate sheets, they have to be joined together or flung over, following the manufacturer's instructions. Often the edges of the sheets have special profiles or slots for fixation. It is important to make sure that there are no large gaps between the sheets that small inventory can fall into.
☑️ Slag assembly algorithm
After all the elements are laid, the boat is finally pumped. The air pressure in the cylinders tightly presses the slate, fixing it in the working position. Some models provide additional belts or Velcro straps to attach the decking. If your boat is equipped with a system for attaching the cans (seats) to the sleigh, make sure that the fastening elements (liktros, grooves) coincide with the holes in the decking.
Comparative table of materials for flooring
To make the choice easier, we will give you a comparative description of the main materials used in the production of sleigh, these parameters will help you weigh the pros and cons before buying.
| Parameter | Plywood slut | Aluminum slate | Slate-rug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight. | Medium/High | Low. | Very low. |
| Moisture resistance | Requires care (varnish/paint) | Absolute. | Absolute. |
| Toughness | High. | Very high. | Low/Mediocre |
| Durability | 5-10 years (depending on care) | Indefinitely | 3-5 years |
| Price. | Low. | High. | Medium |
The table shows that aluminum They're the ones who win in terms of durability and weight, but they lose in price, and plywood is a compromise for those who are willing to take care of their equipment for the sake of economy, and mats are the niche for specialized solutions for light tasks.
Care, storage and typical errors
The only way to extend the life of the flooring is to take care of it properly. After each release, the slate must be thoroughly washed with fresh water, especially if you've been swimming on the salty sea. The salt and silt are aggressive on both the metal and the protective coatings of the plywood. Drying is a must. Even moisture-resistant plywood will start to gain moisture through the ends and sections when it comes into contact with water.
It is recommended to store slate in a disassembled form (if it is a typed structure) or in a straightened, but not compressed state. Do not leave the decking in the boat for the winter in an unheated room - temperature changes and condensate can destroy the structure of the material. For plywood, it is useful to update the protective coating with special varnishes for yachts once a season.
⚠️ Attention: It is strictly forbidden to dry slug elements near open fire sources or in the direct sun in hot weather, plywood can dry and crack, and aluminum can become very hot and deformed or burned when touched.
A common mistake is to use materials that are not designed for this purpose, such as conventional chipboard or thin plastic, which quickly become obsolete and can cause injury, and do not ignore the appearance of chips on the ends of the plywood, they must be immediately cleaned and painted, otherwise the stratification will go deep into the sheet.
Can I paint the slate with ordinary paint?
Ordinary oil or nitro paints do not hold well on special grades of plywood for boats and quickly peel off under the influence of water and ultraviolet light. It is better to use specialized yacht varnishes or epoxy compounds that create an elastic and durable film that does not crack when bending.
How is slate different from a false board?
In the terminology of water motors, there's a lot of confusion between the terms "sling" and "false board" -- these are fundamentally different design elements. false-board A rigid or semi-rigid superstructure on the perimeter of the boat, towering above the cylinders, the Falshbort serves to protect against splashes, strengthen the structure and attach additional equipment (fishboxes, fishing rod holders).
The slate is always inside the boat, at the bottom, and the slate is attached to the top of the cylinders or to the transom and the sides, and the slate is not possible on all boat models, whereas the slate (or its equivalent) is present in almost any boat except the simplest rowing models, and understanding this difference will help you choose the right accessories and components for the modernization of your boat.
The slate is the inner hard bottom of the boat, providing a platform for legs and cargo. The slate is the outer superstructure of the board for protection from water and reinforcement of the structure.
Final recommendations for selection
The choice of flooring is a balance between weight, price and comfort, and if you own a heavy motorboat and plan to go fishing with lots of gear, you should invest in quality fishing. slate It will last longer than the boat itself, and for those who like to go fishing quietly or for hunters who count every gram of weight when carrying, a high-quality plywood or a modern composite mat is fine.
Remember, the bottom is what makes you resilient. Slippery, wobbly, or crooked floors are the direct route to losing balance and falling overboard. Regularly check the condition of the mounts, the integrity of the slabs, and the absence of sharp edges. Properly selected and installed slate turns an inflatable boat into a complete, reliable vessel ready for any water adventure.
How do you fix the slug creak?
Screaming often occurs due to the friction of sheets against each other or against cylinders. Try gluing the joints of sheets with special reinforced tape or using thin gaskets of PVC material between the layers of decking.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Can you use conventional plywood to make slag?
Technically possible, but not recommended. Conventional building plywood quickly absorbs moisture, swells and loses strength. For boats, only FC (water resistant) or FF (high moisture resistance) plywood is used, necessarily treated with protective compounds on all sides, including the ends.
How to reduce the weight of the boat without losing the hardness of the bottom?
The best way to do this is to switch to aluminum slate or use thin but durable aluminum sheets with stiff ribs, and consider a combined bottom, where the rigid elements are only placed under the cans and motor, and the rest is covered with a light mat.
Why does slate pop up when pumping a boat?
This happens if the flooring is not fixed and buoyant, and to avoid this, the slate must be laid before pumping the cylinders, pressing it with its own weight, and some designs have belts or Velcro straps to hold the deck to the bottom of the boat until the pressure is created in the cylinders.
Do I need to take off the slate when storing a boat in winter?
Keeping the boat in compressed condition with nested hard sleigh can cause the cylinders to become cracked at the points of contact with the flooring edges, and it allows both surfaces to be dried, preventing rotting (for plywood) and mold formation.