Choosing a swimming vehicle is always a trade-off between comfort, weight and cost. Every PVC boater who plans to buy a PVC boat is inevitably faced with a dilemma: what type of bottom to choose? At first glance, the question seems simple, but it is the design of the floor that determines the choice of the boat. driving It depends on whether you can develop a single-passenger plane or whether you have to row against the wind.
The modern market offers two main ways: Air Deck And there are hard plywood or aluminum paioles, each with its own fanatical supporters and its own ardent opponents, some of whom swear to the lightness of the inflatable floor, others who can't imagine a boat without a bellwether of a wave hitting a hard bottom.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the physics of the process, the impact of the design on speed and handling, and also help you determine what is right for your needs, because there is no universal solution, there is only the optimal choice for specific operating conditions.
Design features of the inflatable floor
The inflatable floor, often called Air Deck It's a complex structure of strong fabrics with internal filaments, which, when pumped, becomes hard as a rock, with a pressure of up to 1 atmosphere or more. The main advantage here is weight: a boat with an inflatable floor can be 15-20 kg lighter than its plywood bottom counterpart.
This ease makes transportation and assembly as comfortable as possible, and you can bring the kit to the water in one backpack without squashing it across multiple bags. thermal conductivity The inflated floor is high - in cold water, the legs will freeze faster if you do not use a special mat.
The design of the NDND is very good at absorbing, and when you walk on a wave, the soft bottom extinguishes the impacts, making the sway less perceptible to passengers, and this is especially important for fishing when you sit still for a long time, but there's a downside to this medal: the inflated bottom has the ability to bend under load, forming what's called a parabolic arc.
⚠️ Attention: When using inflatable floor boats, it is critical to monitor the pressure. In the sun, the air expands, and the pumped bottom can deform the sides or even burst, and the under-pumped will turn the boat into a "trough" that cannot be plane.
Drop-Stitch Technology
What's the secret to strength?: The NDND fabric is made up of thousands of strands connecting the top and bottom layers. When pumped, these strands are pulled together, creating a structure that doesn't stretch out in width, but retains flexibility, and that's what keeps the shape for an outboard motor load.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hard floorboards
The hard bottom is made of separate sheets (floorboards) that are connected and inserted into cylinders, materials ranging from moisture-resistant plywood to lightweight but expensive aluminum, the main advantage of such a system is the perfect geometry, the hard floor does not bend, providing a stable platform for the legs and predictable behavior of the vessel on the water.
Hard bottom boats (NPs) are traditionally considered faster. Hard surfaces work better with water, creating the right hydrodynamic cushion. However, a plywood bottom kit can weigh up to 50-60 kg or more, making it difficult to transport it alone. Aluminum variants are easier, but significantly more expensive and noisier.
Building a paiola boat takes time and physical effort, it needs to be properly decomposed, it needs to be inserted into your pockets, it needs to be straightened, it can be a challenge in cold weather or in high winds, but when assembled, it looks more monolithic and "serious."
Effect of bottom type on driving performance
The physics of PVC boats is directly dependent on how the bottom interacts with water. A hard bottom creates a flat surface that, when sliding, forms a stable air cushion. A boat with plywood or aluminum is more easily detached from the water, requires less engine power to achieve planned speeds and better holds its course.
The inflatable floor, even high pressure, is bent down by the weight of the passengers and the engine, which increases the area of contact with water and creates additional resistance, and as a result, a boat with NDNDM can scour the wave, keep a straight course worse, and require a more powerful engine to enter planing under full load mode.
⚠️ Attention: At low speeds (displacement mode), the difference is almost invisible, but when trying to accelerate above 20-25 km / h, a soft-bottom boat can start pecking with its nose or fall on board when turning abruptly.
However, modern technology for the production of NDNDM minimizes these disadvantages, and the use of stringers (rigid slats inserted along the side) significantly increases the rigidity of the structure.
To improve the performance of the boat with an inflatable floor, use transom wheels only when fully unloaded. The extra weight on the transom can increase the deflection of the stern and worsen the yield on planing.
Comparative analysis of specifications
To make a final decision, let's put the basics into a single table, which will help you visually see the difference between the two designs and see where you're willing to compromise.
| Parameter | inflatable floor (NDB) | Hard bottom (Pyola) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight of kit | Easy 15-20%. | Harder because of the sheets. |
| Assembly/Disassembly | Fast, 10-15 minutes. | Longer, 20-30 minutes. |
| Driving performance | Good, depending on pressure. | Great, stable. |
| Price. | Usually higher (more technological) | More accessible (plywood) |
As you can see from the table, inflatables are better off in mobility, but they are worse off in stability when fully loaded. Hard floorboards are predictable, but they require more force in preparation for launching.
The choice of floorboard material also plays a role. Aluminum is not afraid of water or rotting, but it rattles and is cold. Plywood is warmer and quieter, but requires careful drying after each fishing, otherwise it can stratify.
If you plan to change locations often and drag the boat alone, take the NDNDM. If the boat will stand assembled or tinker with a trailer / bagel and maximum speed is important - choose a hard bottom.
Exploitation in different environments
The operating conditions dictate their rules. For fishing in shallow waters, overgrown bodies of water or rivers with a rocky bottom, inflatable bottoms can be risky. Although modern materials are durable, the risk of puncture is always higher than that of thick plywood.
In marine environments or in large reservoirs with high wavelength, structural rigidity comes to the fore. A boat with a hard bottom is less prone to yaw and better cuts the wave. However, if you fish with friends and appreciate comfort, the soft bottom of the NDNDM will allow you to sit right on the floor without additional seats, which is impossible on cold and hard aluminum.
Winter fishing also makes its own adjustments: PVC gets tougher in the cold, and the inflated bottom gives off heat faster. Hard sheets in the cold can become brittle (especially cheap plywood), so aluminum here wins, but requires insulation.
- 🎣 For spinning fishing alone, the ideal NDND is ease of throwing and mobility.
- ⚓ For family walks and trolling, a hard bottom is better suited - the stability of the platform.
- 🌊 For access to open water (sea, large lakes), the priority of hard floorboards for safety.
Durability and underbody care
Durability is often a crucial issue when buying: Inflatable bottoms have no joints or gaps where sand or water can get clogged; they are easier to wash with a simple hose rinse; however, NDND fabric is subject to mechanical damage: cuts, punctures, abrasion on the sand are the main enemies; repairs are possible, but take time and dry conditions.
Hard floorboards, especially plywood, are afraid of moisture. If you don't dry the sheets after fishing, they can swell, become molded or lose strength. Aluminum profiles are almost eternal, except for oxidation at the joints, but they can rattle when hit by a wave, transmitting vibration to the body.
⚠️ Warning: Never keep a boat with an unspoiled hard bottom rolled up, guaranteed to rot the plywood and produce an unpleasant odor that is difficult to get rid of.
☑️ Proper drying of the boat
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you replace the inflatable floor with a hard one in the same boat?
Technically, it's possible if the boat design allows the paiole insertion, but it requires buying a paiole kit specifically for your model, but you can't just put a sheet of plywood on top of an inflated bottom, which will break geometry and can damage the valves.
What pressure should be pumped into the inflated bottom?
The optimum pressure is usually 0.2-0.25 bar (up to 250 mbar), the exact values are always indicated in the product passport, insufficient pressure will lead to deflection and loss of speed, and excessive pressure will lead to deformation of the seams in the heat.
What's better for a 5 hp engine?
A 5 hp engine is critically important to have a minimum weight, so an inflatable floor (BBB) would be the best choice, and a hard bottom with such a small engine would be extremely difficult or impossible to plane with a passenger.
Is it true that the inflated bottom bursts in the sun?
Not by itself. But if you pump a boat in a cool garage and then expose it to the hot sun, the pressure inside increases, if it exceeds the strength of the fabric or the seams, it can rupture. Always under-pump the boat before going out in the sun or blow the air.