Long stays on the water, whether it's a sunrise fishing trip or a family cruise on a reservoir, require not only reliable watercraft, but also basic comfort. Sitting on a hard inflated bottom or, worse, on an inverted tank is a direct route to rapid back fatigue and loss of coordination. PVC support It becomes one of the first accessories that an owner acquires after buying the vessel itself, and without a high-quality anchorage, even the most comfortable chair will become a source of danger, especially on the wave.
The boating market offers many solutions, from simple removable cans to complex rotary systems with height adjustment. However, there is no universal answer to the question “which support is better” because the choice depends on the design of the particular boat, the type of bottom used and your personal preferences. In this article, we will discuss in detail all aspects of the selection, installation and operation of support systems.
The main task of any support is to provide rigid fixation, excluding backlashes and distortions. Inflatable boats They have a certain amount of inertia and flexibility in their design, which puts a lot of pressure on the mounting points, and if you're planning to install a rotary seat, the load on the mounting mounting mounts will increase many times because of the levers that the back and body of the passenger creates when the boat rolls, so you should be very careful about the material and the design, because it's about your safety.
Types of support systems for inflatable vessels
All existing solutions on the market can be divided into several main categories depending on the method of attachment and functionality. pockets These structures are lightweight and do not require drilling of the hull, but are not suitable for the installation of full swivel seats. For more serious tasks, stationary or semi-stationary systems are used.
The most popular solution for the installation of fishing chairs is cup-holder This is a metal pipe that is inserted into a pre-installed mount on the bottom of the boat, which allows you to quickly dismantle the seat when it is not needed, freeing up space for cargo or overnight accommodation. squirt-board or special brackets fixed on cylinders.
Combined systems, where the support is integrated into a slate mat or hard plyol bottom, are often found in premium boats or customized by custom craftsmen, and provide maximum rigidity because the load is distributed across the bottom area rather than concentrated at one point.
- 🛶 Removable cans: Ideal for easy walks, do not require installation, but limit the functionality.
- ⚓ Supports under the glass (pedestals): allow the use of rotary seats, require insertion of the flange into the bottom.
- 🔩 Tranza brackets: fastened to the rear side, convenient for controlling the engine, but can interfere with the pulling of the boat on the shore.
Materials of manufacture and their specifications
The choice of material is a balance between strength, weight and corrosion resistance. Aggressive aqueous environment, constant contact with splashes, sometimes salt water, and ultraviolet radiation dictate their conditions. aluminum-alloy (usually D16T grades or analogues) It's lightweight, strong enough, and doesn't rust, although it can oxidize with white coating.
Stainless steel is used less often because of its considerable weight, which is critical for small inflatable boats where every kilogram counts. However, for large PVC catamarans or boats longer than 4 meters, steel support can be justified by its exceptional reliability.
The most important element is coating. Powder paint provides excellent protection against scratches and corrosion, but when the integrity of the layer is damaged, the metal begins to degrade quickly. Anodizing is a more reliable but expensive option for protecting aluminum. When choosing, pay attention to the quality of welds: they should be smooth, without inflows and pores that can become hotbeds of corrosion.
⚠️ Attention: Never use conventional black metal pipes without special anti-corrosion coating to make supports yourself. Even a thick layer of paint in conditions of constant friction and vibration will quickly wear off, and the support will rust from the inside, losing strength at the most inopportune moment.
The fittings used for the mounting must also fit the marine grade. The bolts, nuts and washers of conventional steel will rust in one season, painting the bottom of the boat and jamming the mounting knots. stainless-steel (A2, A4) or brass. Rubber seals must be made of EPDM or silicone, so as not to tan in the cold and not crack with the sun.
Comparative table of specifications of supports
To organize the information and help you make the right choice, we have prepared a comparative table of the main types of supports available in the market, which will help you quickly assess the pros and cons of each option depending on your tasks and budget.
| Type of support | Materials | Weight (kg) | Difficulty of installation | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Removable can | Aluminum/Phanera | 0.5 - 1.5 | Missing. | All the boats with pockets |
| Pedestal (glass) | Aluminum D16T | 1.0 - 2.0 | Medium (inset) | Hard-bottom boats |
| transom bracket | Nerzh. | 2.5 - 4.0 | Low. | Boats with a transmuted board |
| Integrated system | Composite/Aluminum | 3.0 - 5.0 | High. | Only specific models |
For boats up to 3.2 meters long, the best choice is a light aluminum support under a glass, as it will not overload the cylinders and will allow you to easily maneuver the chair.
Instructions for mounting a support to a hard bottom
Installation of a stationary support is a process that requires accuracy and accuracy. A mistake in marking can cause the chair to be installed inconveniently, or worse, the bottom will be impaired. Before starting work, make sure that you have all the necessary tools: an electric drill, a metal drill and wood, a PVC sealant, a marker and a tape measure.
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☑️ Preparation for support installation
The holes should be drilled carefully so as not to damage the opposite side or the internal elements of the structure. The diameter of the drill should strictly correspond to the diameter of the fastening bolts. After drilling the edge of the hole, you must treat, removing the burrs that can damage the sealant or the PVC fabric itself when vibrating.
The final step is sealing. Put a special PVC sealant glue on the bottom of the flange and around the hole. Press the support tightly and lock with bolts. The excess sealant that has protruded at the edges needs to be carefully removed to form a smooth gallet, which will ensure reliable waterproofing and prevent water from entering between the layers of material.
Do I have to wait for the sealant to dry before operation?
Yes, most polyurethane and PVC sealants take time to polymerize, usually 12 to 24 hours at room temperature, and operating the boat before it is fully dry can depressurize the assembly under load.
Features of fastening to the inflatable floor (Air Deck)
Owners of high-pressure inflatable floor boats (HPDBs) face a unique problem: you can't attach a support directly to the inflatable surface. Metal will simply rub or puncture the cylinder under human weight pressure. platform or stringer attachment systems.
The platform system is a rigid sheet (usually made of plywood or composite) that lies on top of the inflated bottom, and the support is attached to this platform, and the platform, in turn, is fixed overboard or rests on special grooves, preventing displacement. This solution is universal, but adds extra weight and takes up space in the bag.
A more advanced but challenging option is to attach to the inner stiffness elements. If the boat design permits, the support can be attached to stringers (inflatable boosters) that run along the bottom, using special soft-plate clamps that wrap around the stringer without damaging it, but this requires high skill and understanding of the load on a particular boat model.
⚠️ Attention: It is strictly forbidden to install metal supports directly on the surface of an inflated cylinder without a distribution platform. The point pressure of the leg of the chair when the boat rolls is guaranteed to cause puncture or rupture of PVC tissue.
When using platforms on the inflatable floor, it is important to consider dynamics. Inflated bottom plays on the wave, and rigidly fixed support can create unnecessary stress at the points of contact. Therefore, it is recommended to use damping gaskets made of dense rubber between the platform and the bottom of the boat, this will reduce friction and prolong the life of both the platform and the boat itself.
Safety and maintenance of the design
Any additional design on board is a potential risk if left unchecked. Regular maintenance of the seat support should become a habit of every boater. After every fishing trip, especially in salt water, metal elements must be rinsed with fresh water. Salt is the main enemy of aluminum and steel, it accelerates corrosion processes at times.
Before each season, be sure to inspect the fasteners. Vibration when driving on the motor has the property to unwind even well-tightened nuts. Use a thread lock (anaerobic sealant) when assembly. Check the condition of the welds for microcracks. If you notice that the support has begun to luft in the flange, immediately replace the sealing ring or tighten the fastener.
Pay special attention to the condition of the seat, mounted on the support. The fabric of the seat should not have scuffs, and the turning mechanism should work smoothly, without jamming. A jammed chair on a high wave can cause loss of balance and fall overboard. Safety at sea It depends on the little things that are often ignored.
Lubricate the chair rotation mechanism with silicone lubrication once a season. It is not washed away with water, does not attract dust and retains the elasticity of rubber seals, unlike lithole or solidol.
Keeping a boat with a support installed in a deflated state is not recommended if the support structure has sharp corners or protruding parts. It is better to dismantle removable elements. If the support is fixed (glued), make sure that when you roll the boat up at the flange installation site, you do not form a fold that will constantly rub against the metal. This can lead to premature wear of the fabric.
Can I use a boat support on a PVC boat?
Theoretically, you can adapt the mount, but it's a bad idea: the supports for rigid hulls are designed to be rigid fiberglass or aluminum floors, and if they are mounted on a flexible PVC bottom, they will create critical stress points, which will lead to the destruction of the boat structure, and they are often too heavy.
What is the maximum weight of a standard aluminum support?
High-quality serial supports of alloy D16T with a wall thickness of the pipe at least 2-3 mm are designed for a static load of up to 120-150 kg. However, the dynamic load (pulp when hitting a wave) can be much higher, so always leave a margin of safety and do not exceed the passenger limit specified in the boat data sheet.
Do I need to paint the support from the inside?
If the support is hollow and open from the ends, it is advisable to treat the inner cavity with an anti-corrosion compound or to drown out the ends with rubber plugs with a sealant. The water entering the pipe will lead to corrosion from the inside, which is difficult to see visually until the end-to-end damage occurs.
How to remove the back of the chair in a glass?
The backlash is usually caused by wear on the seat or by an incorrectly sized diameter, and you can use a winding of FUM tape or special rubber seals, and if the backlash is large, you'll need to replace the glass itself or use an adapter with a smaller internal diameter.
Regular check of tightening of bolts and condition of sealant - the guarantee that your support will not cause sinking of the boat or loss of expensive equipment at depth.