Choosing an inflatable craft is always a compromise between comfort, load capacity and weight. The most critical element determining performance and ease of use is the type of vehicle. bottomIt's up to you to decide whether you can get a high speed, how stable the boat is on the wave, and how hard you're going to have to carry it to the water.
The current market offers three main options: a fully inflatable floor (NDH), a plywood (plywood or aluminum prefabricated) and a high-pressure inflatable floor (AirDeck). Each type has its own unique advantages and disadvantages that become noticeable only in real-world conditions. In this article, we will discuss the design in detail so that you can make an informed decision.
It is a mistake to think that the choice is only on budget. Often beginners buy a boat with a light inflatable floor, planning to plane with a powerful engine, and face unpleasant surprises in the form of a bubble of the floor and loss of speed. Or vice versa, acquire a heavy mutual construction for quiet fishing in grassy bays, agonizing with its transportation. Let's see where the line between expediency and error lies.
Design features of the inflatable floor (NDH)
The abbreviation NDH comes from English. Non-Directional High-pressureIt's a structurally reinforced PVC membrane, with thousands of strong strands connecting the top and bottom layers of the material, and when pumped with a high-pressure pump (usually 0.2 to 0.25 bar), the strands are pulled, giving the floor enough stiffness to stand and walk.
The main advantage of this system is minimumThe inflatable floor boat weighs 10 to 15 kg less than the plywood floorboard model, which is critical for single fishermen who have to carry a boat in a backpack several hundred meters to the water, and the lack of rigid elements allows you to fold the boat into a very compact case that can easily fit into a small class trunk or even a backpack.
But there are also significant limitations to NDH, which creates a characteristic bulge (a bubble) that reduces hydrodynamics, and at high speeds, the bottom vibrates, creating additional noise and discomfort, and the soft bottom is less shaped when fully loaded, which can lead to deformation of the sides and reduced vessel stability on the wave.
⚠️ Attention: Never leave an inflatable boat under direct sunlight in a pumped state. The air inside expands when heated, and the pressure can exceed the permissible limits, which will lead to rupture of strands or seams.
Drop-Stitch Technology
What's the difference?: Modern premium boats use Drop-Stitch technology. Unlike classic NDH, where the threads are chaotic, they go strictly perpendicular to the planes. This allows you to pump the bottom up to 1.0 bar and above, making it stiff like plywood, but keeping it light. These boats are often called RIB-like, but they still belong to the inflatable class.
Pied bottom: classics of plywood and aluminum
The payroll bottom is a set of removable plates (floorboards) that are laid inside the boat on special stringers (longitudinal beams), most commonly used moisture-resistant plywood 9-12 mm thick, coated with a coating. Aluminum floorboards are less common, lighter and more durable, but much more expensive and thunders more strongly on the wave.
The main advantage of the hard sex is flat-planeThe floorboard bottom boat has excellent hydrodynamics, allowing you to reach maximum speed with less engine power. The hard floor extinguishes vibration, makes the stroke softer and quieter, and you can stand on the bottom with confidence even in the intense excitement, which is highly appreciated by spinning and trolling masters.
On the other hand, assembling and disassembling a solder boat is a time-consuming process, where you have to manually stack heavy stoves, insert stringers, and make sure that nothing gets caught in the fabric, which can weigh 40 to 50 kg or more, making it extremely difficult to transport alone, and plywood can eventually dry out or layer if it is not properly cared for.
For those who value comfort and plan to actively planing, a hard floor is an option that provides stability and predictable vessel behavior, but it is worth considering that when folded, a solder boat takes up more space, and its elements can scratch each other if packaged incorrectly.
specifications comparison table
To organize information and make it easier to choose, let’s turn to the figures and facts. The table below shows the key parameters that directly affect the operation of the boat in different conditions.
| Parameter | inflatable floor (NDH) | Plywood plywood | The bottom of AirDeck (HDS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (for boats 3.2-3.6 m) | 20–25 kg | 35-45 kg | 25-30 kg |
| Assembly time | 5-10 minutes | 15-25 minutes | 10-15 minutes |
| Maximum speed | Low/Medium | High. | Medium/High |
| Comfort of standing | Medium (spring) | Great. | Good. |
| Transportability | Tall (one backpack) | Low (2-3 bags) | Medium |
And you can see from the table that the difference in weight can be twofold. It's not just numbers: 20 kilograms are easier to carry on the beach, to lower from a steep bank or to drag on the roof of a car. But the difference in speed and comfort is also significant. If every minute on the water and the ability to travel a long distance quickly, the weight fades into the background.
It's worth noting that modern technology is blurring boundaries. AirDeck They already allow near-plywood speeds to be achieved while still being much easier, but they often cost more than classic models, making them a choice for demanding users.
The influence of the bottom type on driving performance and planing
Gleaning is a mode of movement where the boat slides across the water surface, resting on the bottom of the water. To get to the plane requires a certain amount of engine power and, importantly, the hardness of the bottom. Soft inflatable floor under the pressure of water and the weight of passengers bends, increasing the area of resistance, this phenomenon is called the "sailing effect" or simply "bubble".
As a result, the boat with the NDH is worse on the plane, requires a more powerful engine and more fuel consumption. At high speeds (above 25-30 km / h), the soft bottom begins to slam on the wave, which creates a lot of noise and kicks to the legs.
But there's a nuance: the shape of the keel. Boats with inflatable bottoms often have a more pronounced kilewity, because inflatable tubes themselves create a rigid structure. Unite boats can be flat bottom. So when you choose, you need to look not only at the type of floor, but also at the geometry of the cylinders. For quiet water and low speeds (up to 15 km / h), the type of the bottom has little or no effect on comfort.
To improve the performance of the boat with an inflatable floor, use transom wheels and try to evenly distribute the load, and also helps to install a hydro wing on a lower unit engine, which stabilizes the boat on the plane.
Operational nuances: Assembly, storage and repair
Welfare is often a crucial factor, and if you're going fishing, it's raining, and you have to get the boat together quickly, it'll take minutes with the inflatable floor, you spread it, you pump it, you put the seats in, and you're on the water, and you'll have to tinker with the plywood, and you'll have to get dirty in the mud and wet grass.
Storage also has its own specifications: Plywood paioles take up a lot of space and require a flat surface to dry; if you put them wet in a case, they can become moldy or deform; the inflatable floor dries faster because it has no internal cavities to stagnate water, but requires careful drying before packaging to avoid unpleasant odors.
Both types have high repairability; punctures on the inflatable floor are easily remixed in the field; damage to paiola (such as plywood chips) is more difficult to repair, often requiring replacement of the element; aluminum paioles are virtually indestructible, but they cannot be repaired at home.
☑️ Preparing the boat for winter storage
Use cases: which one should you choose?
The final choice should be based on how and where you plan to use the boat. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are clear guidelines for different user groups. Don't chase for the maximum package if your use cases don't require it.
For lovers of quiet fishing on small water bodies, where you do not need to develop high speed, the ideal choice will be a boat with a small water. float-bottomThe ease of transportation will allow you to take a boat on hikes, ride trains or carry it through forest debris, and the comfort of the NDH is enough to throw spinning or install bottom gear.
If you're a big reservoir, a sea fishing, or a trolling activity where the boat goes for an outboard motor for hours, you can't save money on the bottom. hard-ply advanced AirDeckYou'll appreciate the quietness, the speed and the ability to move confidently through the cockpit while you're catching a trophy, and in such circumstances, an extra 15kg of weight is a price for safety and pleasure.
⚠️ Attention: When buying a plywood-bottomed boat, be sure to check the quality of the plywood ends. They must be carefully painted or varnished. Poor protection will lead to rapid absorption of moisture and destruction of the material in 1-2 seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you replace the inflatable floor with plywood in the same boat?
Most of the time, no. The design of NDH and floorboard boats is different. The floorboard boats have special pockets on the sides to fit the stringers and fix the floorboards. In inflatable floor boats, there are no such elements, and there is no place to insert a hard floor, or it will violate the geometry of the cylinders.
What pressure should be pumped into the inflatable floor?
Generally, manufacturers recommend pressures in the range of 0.2-0.25 bar (3.5-4 psi). It is not necessary to pump more strongly, as this can cause filament rupture. Use the pressure gauge included in the high pressure pump for fine tuning.
How long is plywood in a PVC boat?
With proper care (drying after each fishing, storing in heat) high-quality moisture-resistant plywood lasts 5-7 years or more. If you leave the boat assembled in the sun or store wet, the material can become useless after 2 seasons.
Does the type of bottom affect the boat’s load capacity?
Hard-bottom boats tend to have a stronger structure and a greater buoyancy margin, which allows for greater passenger capacity, but the weight of the bottom (plywood heavier than air) reduces the payload of the boat by several kilograms.
What is slate and how is it different from floorboard?
Slate is a simplified version of a hard bottom, which is a set of individual boards that are simply placed on the bottom of the boat without rigidly fixed by stringers. floorboard is a single or connected structure that forms a single plane. Slate is cheaper and lighter, but less comfortable and reliable.