Inflatable watercraft assembly is the first and critical step in preparing for the water, which not only affects your comfort, but also your safety on the water. Many beginners face difficulties in installing a hard floor, especially if it is a construction of the type of "book", which requires a certain sequence of actions and understanding of the principles of operation. bottomIncorrect installation can lead to deformation of cylinders, difficulties with pumping or even damage to the material during operation.
Unlike paillon floors, which consist of individual aluminum sheets, a slate book is a single folding structure, often reinforced by profiles. Slate book It provides excellent stiffness and a smooth surface, but its installation has its own technological nuances, the neglect of which is fraught with problems. In this article, we will analyze the algorithm of actions, consider typical errors and give professional recommendations for working with different types of inflatable boats.
Before you start physical assembly, you need to make sure you are on a flat, clean surface, free of sharp objects, stones and stabbing debris. It is critically important to assemble at an air temperature not lower than +5 ° C, since in the cold, the PVC fabric loses its elasticity and can crack when bending. Prepare all the necessary elements: the boat itself, the slate, the pump and, if necessary, additional stiffness profiles, which often come with the kit.
Preparation of the boat and selection of the place for assembly
The success of the whole operation depends on the proper preparation of the workspace. Choose a plot of land or a pier where there are no branches, broken glass or sticking out reinforcements. Spread the boat so that the pump valves are easily accessible and the bottom is straightened as smoothly as possible. If you are assembling a boat on grass, make sure that it is dry, otherwise the wet fabric will be heavier and can absorb dirt, which when assembled will act as an abrasive.
You don't have to pump the cylinders to the working pressure, you just need to shape them so that the boat can straighten out and you can assess the geometry of the bottom. Inflatable stringers (if designed) or just the side cylinders need to be slightly inflated, which will create the necessary volume for the subsequent introduction of hard sleigh, and the excessive pressure at this stage will only make it difficult to work, as the boat will become too elastic and "runaway" from under the hands.
Examine the inside of the boat for foreign objects, sand or water. Any grain of sand caught between the sleigh and the protective layer (or the balloon itself) can damage the fabric when loaded. Wipe the bottom with a wet cloth if it is contaminated and let it dry. Also check the completeness of the sleigh: are all profiles in place, are there whole connecting belts and there is no damage to the floor itself.
Use a special rug or piece of tarpaulin under the boat during assembly if you are on the ground with a high probability of having thorns or small rubble.
Technology of mounting sleigh-to “bottles” in a boat
The process of installing a sleigh book is very different from assembling a solder floor, so you don't have to put the sheets in one by one, forming the "rails," and the sleigh book is inserted into a partially prepared space, and you first open the sleigh on the ground next to the boat, check the folding mechanism, and make sure that it extends into a flat plane without breaking.
Take a folded book and place it gently inside the boat, orienting itself in the center. longitudinal rigidity profiles (aluminum pipes inserted into pockets on the sides), they should be installed first, before the sleigh is fully straightened, insert profiles in special pockets or slots along the sides, making sure they are fixed.
Now the most important thing is to straighten the sleigh. Take the front edge (nasal) and pull it towards the bow of the boat, while straightening the folds of the book towards the transom. The movements should be smooth, without jerks. The sleigh should lie flat, filling the entire space from the nose to the transom. If the sleigh has cross-shaped stiffness profiles inserted after laying the floor, make sure that the holes or pockets for them match the real geometry of the boat.
☑️ Slant installation algorithm
Often, there is a situation where the slate does not want to finish because of lack of volume, in which case you can not use brute force, you need to flush the air out of the cylinders a little, straighten the floor, and then pump the sides again. This cycle of blow-stripe-stripped can be repeated 2-3 times to perfect tension.
Fixing the floor and working with stiffness profiles
Once the slate has fallen into its place, it needs to be fixed, depending on the model of the boat, fixation can be carried out in various ways: by the pressure of the bloated cylinders, using special belts, Velcro straps or latches. cross-sectionalAnd they work as struts, creating a rigid frame that holds the shape of the bottom.
Notice the bow. In many sleigh-book boats, the nose tip is placed under an inflatable valve or a special pocket in the nose, which prevents the floor from moving forward when rowing or driving under a motor, and make sure that the edge of the sleigh fits tightly into the cylinder fabric and has no sharp angles that would damage the material when vibrating.
The final step in mechanical assembly is to check the symmetry, go along the side and visually assess whether the floor is flat, whether it is skewed on one side, skewed to the other side, can cause the load to be unevenly distributed and the boat to roll on the water, if necessary, correct the position of the profiles or the floor itself, until the boat is fully pumped.
Why do you need stiffness profiles?
Stiffness profiles (aluminum tubes) create a support frame, without which a slate book could bend under the weight of passengers, losing its hydrodynamic properties and creating discomfort, and they turn a soft inflatable floor into a rigid platform.
Pumping order and final adjustment
The right pumping sequence is the key to the longevity of your boat. There's a golden rule: first the cylinders, then the keel (if it's inflatable), and only at the very end is the final pressure fine-tuning. Don't try to pump the boat before the slate is inserted, otherwise you just can't put it there.
Use a pressure pump. Bring the pressure in the cylinders to the manufacturer's recommended value (usually 0.2 to 0.25 atm for main cylinders). Then check the tension of the sleigh. If the floor is loose, "walks", add some more air to the cylinders. The air pressure inside the cylinders bursts them, and they, in turn, tightly press the edges of the sleigh, fixing it dead.
If you have an inflatable keel, you're going to pump it last, because it creates the main tension of the bottom in the longitudinal plane. It often takes a lot of effort to pump the keel, so use a high-pressure pump. After you pump the keel, the boat has to become stiff like a drum, and the slate has to get tightened into the string.
| Element of the boat | Recommended pressure (atm) | Feature of control |
|---|---|---|
| Main cylinders | 0.20 - 0.25 | Check in the sun, the pressure is increasing |
| Inflatable keel | 0.40 - 0.60 | Requires a high pressure pump |
| Inflatable seat | 0.15 - 0.20 | Do not pump so as not to burst the seam |
| transom plate | 0.10 - 0.15 | Must be soft for depreciation |
Pumping order: Cylinders (80%) -> Slate -> Cylinders (100%) -> Kiel. Disorder leads to a skewed design.
Typical errors in installing slugs
One of the most common mistakes is to try to stuff slate in a fully pumped boat, which is not only physically difficult, but also dangerous to the material. By stretching the cylinders too much to push the floor, you create an excessive stress in the seams, which can lead to them depressurizing at the most inopportune moment.
The second mistake is to ignore the temperature expansion of air, and if you pump the boat in the shade or in a cool room, and then take it out in the bright sun, you risk a "blown" boat, where the pressure exceeds the norm by one and a half times, in which case the slate can bend out with an arc, and it will jump out of the mounts or damage the board.
They often forget to check the condition. stringer-groovesIf there is dirt or sand in your profile pockets, the profile may not fit in, or worse, wipe the pocket fabric when you load it. Always clean the slots before you assemble. Another mistake is the wrong placement of the slug when the transom floor doesn't reach the transom, leaving a gap where water can get in or where dirt will accumulate.
⚠️ Warning: Never leave a fully assembled and pumped boat in direct sunlight unattended for long periods of time, and the pressure inside can rise to critical levels, causing seams to rupture or deformation of the sleigh.
Boat care and storage
Proper care of the sleigh book will prolong the life of your boat. After every fishing or walk, be sure to wash the floor with fresh water, especially if you have swam on salt water or in bodies of algae. Dirt and salt, drying, turn into an abrasive that when you fold the boat will rub against the fabric of cylinders.
When packing a boat in a shipping bag, make sure that the slate is folded carefully, along the factory folds. Avoid aluminium profiles. If the slate has a fabric coating, make sure that it is completely dry before packaging, otherwise mold and unpleasant odors may appear, which are difficult to get rid of.
Keep the boat straightened or semi-assembled in a dry room at room temperature. It is not recommended to keep the boat rolled up under heavy loads for more than 2-3 months, as this can lead to the appearance of a "memory effect" on the folds of the fabric and deformation of the stiffness profiles.
⚠️ Warning: If you notice that the sleigh has chipped paint or scratches to metal, immediately treat these places with anti-corrosion compound or paint over. moisture, caught under the coating, quickly destroy the aluminum profile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use a slate book in a boat designed for a floorboards?
Generally, no. Underfloor design, stringer and profile pockets for floorboard and slate book boats vary. Installing the wrong floor can cause the load to be misallocated and damage to the boat. Always use only the components recommended by the manufacturer for your model.
What if the slate book doesn't get into the boat after pumping?
You probably broke the sequence, you flush a little air out of the cylinders, you spread the slate as smoothly as possible, you make sure the profiles are in the slots, and then you pump the cylinders to the working pressure, and if the problem persists, check if the slate is twisted or if the profiles are inserted into the wrong holes.
Do I need to lubricate stiffness profiles?
However, if profiles are tightly inserted into pockets, you can wipe them with a dry cloth to remove dust. The use of oils or chemical lubricants is not recommended, as they can aggressively affect the fabric of pockets or PVC material of the boat.
How to store slate in winter?
The best option is to keep the boat in a half-inflated state or fully straightened in a warm room. If this is not possible, turn the boat carefully, avoiding sharp bends in the same places.
⚠️ Attention: If a severe deformation of the aluminum profiles is detected (curvature of more than 1 cm per meter of length), the operation of the boat is prohibited.