Any inflatable boat owner sooner or later faces the question of improving the performance of his boat. hard-bottom It's becoming the factor that makes a toy inflatable boat a complete, sleek boat, and if you're planning to put paioles in a boat, it's important to understand that not only speed, but also safety on the water, depends on the right material and design.
Unlike an inflatable floor, which cushions the shocks against the wave, but extinguishes the acceleration inertia, rigid elements create the necessary plane for sliding through the water. Slanty or floorboard They distribute the load from passengers and cargo, preventing cylinders from bending inwards, and this is particularly critical when installed. outboard power from 5 horsepower, when the center of gravity is shifted, and the pressure on the bottom increases many times.
The process of modernization may seem simple, but there are many nuances: the wrong thickness of the material or lack of waterproofing will lead to rapid failure of both the floorboards themselves and the boat itself. In this article, we will discuss in detail what materials to use, how to protect them from water, and what mistakes are most common for beginners when making a hard bottom on their own.
Why do you need paioles and how they affect driving performance
The main function of the hard bottom is to create a hydrodynamically correct shape, and the inflatable floor, under the influence of water and the weight of passengers, takes the form of a hammock, which creates additional resistance. Paiola They level the surface, allowing the boat to get on plane mode faster, and that directly affects fuel consumption and top speed.
In addition, the hard floor significantly increases resilience On the soft bottom, it is more difficult to stand or move, especially when fishing or rowing, and hard sleighs spread the weight of a person over a larger area, reducing the risk of damage to the inside of the cylinders by sharp objects, such as hooks or a knife.
⚠️ Warning: Installing too heavy a floorboard can shift the center of gravity of the boat and reduce its stability. Always calculate the total weight of the equipment so as not to exceed the weight of the boat. loading capacity The boat listed on the passport.
Another important aspect is durability: the inflatable floor is subject to constant friction and stretching, which over time leads to microcracks. The hard insert takes the main wear and tear. If you plan to operate a boat often in shallow water or rocky shores, the presence of a boat is not a problem. ribbon On cylinders in combination with a hard bottom will be an excellent insurance.
Comparison of materials: plywood, aluminum or plastic
The choice of material for paiola is always a compromise between weight, strength and cost. plywoodThey usually use a brand's aviation plywood. FC or FSFIt's lightweight, easy to work, and inexpensive, but even moisture-resistant plywood can eventually dissipate if it's not properly developed. waterproofing.
Aluminum sheets (e.g., AMG or D16T) It's much stronger and more durable. They're not afraid of water, shocks and temperature changes. It's going to be a lot heavier, but it's going to take decades to last. It's a lot harder to work with, it's going to require a tool to cut and flex, and it's going to cool down faster in the sun and heat up more slowly, which can be uncomfortable when you walk barefoot.
Plastic composite materials and cell-polypropylene They're lightweight, they don't absorb water, they don't rot. But quality plastic is expensive, and cheap plastics can crack in the cold or under load. Small boats up to 3 meters long often use a combination of plywood sleighs, lined with linoleum or carpet to protect against abrasion.
- 🛡️ phanera: accessibility, ease of processing, requires careful painting and protection of the edges.
- ⚙️ aluminum: maximum strength, durability, higher weight and cost, more difficult to manufacture.
- 🧪 Plastic/Composite: does not rot, light but expensive and can be slippery without special coating.
The secret to plywood durability
If you choose plywood, be sure to soak the ends with epoxy resin, it is through unprotected sections that moisture penetrates into and destroys the structure of the tree most quickly.
Technology of manufacturing floorboard DIY
If you're going to make paioles into the boat yourself, start with accurate measurements. The bottom should not be adjacent to the cylinders, but large gaps are unacceptable, this will cause the elements to shift during movement. The optimal gap is 1-2 cm around the perimeter. For cutting, use an electro-cloak with a clean-cutting file to minimize the damage. zipper.
The thickness of the material is selected based on the length of the boat. For a vessel with a length of 3 meters, plywood 7-9 mm thick is enough. For boats with a length of 3.5-4 meters, 10-12 mm will be required. If aluminum is used, the thickness of the sheet can be less than 2-3 mm, due to the high tensile strength of the metal.
☑️ Plan of work for manufacture
So, you've got to focus on connecting the individual sleighs, and if the boat is big, the bottom is going to be made up of several parts, and you can connect them by using the same means. aluminum profilesIt's important that the joints don't have sharp angles that can damage the PVC tissue.
| Boat length (m) | Materials | Thickness (mm) | Kit weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7 - 3.0 | Phanera FC | 7-9 | 4 - 6 |
| 3.2 - 3.6 | FSF phanera | 9-10 | 7 - 10 |
| 3.8 - 4.2 | Aluminum AMG | 2-3 | 8 - 12 |
| 4.5+ | Aluminum/Composite | 3-4 | 12 - 18 |
Once cut, be sure to treat all surfaces. The wood is grinded, degreased and coated with several layers of yacht lacquer or epoxy resin. The metal is stripped of oxides and, if desired, stained with a special aluminum paint to avoid contact with aggressive environments, although the oxide film itself is a good protection.
Waterproofing and wear protection
Even moisture-resistant plywood can't withstand constant contact with water without additional protection, and water trapped between the floorboards and the bottom of the boat creates a "steam bath" effect, accelerating rotting. waterproofing The best option is to impregnate hot oliphus with subsequent coating with epoxy soil.
The top of the floorboard is often covered with an anti-slip material. linoleum It's a fabric-based carpet, or abrasively sprayed self-adhesive film, and it's good for it to absorb moisture without letting it spread, and it's nice to touch, but it requires drying very often, otherwise it can get a bad smell.
⚠️ Warning: Never use asphalt-based materials (such as a regular ruberoid) to coat floorboard. In the sun, the bitumen melts and sticks firmly to the PVC fabric of the boat, after which it is almost impossible to wash it without damaging the shell.
To protect the edges of plywood, you can use an aluminum corner or special plastic edgings, which will prevent the veneer from being stratified when hitting the side during laying. If you use aluminum, make sure that the edges of the sheets are bent or pasted with soft tape so that you don't cut them. cylinders during editing.
Keep floorboard dry: After every fishing, be sure to remove the sleigh, wipe them dry and leave them to dry separately from the boat. Storing wet plywood in a rolled-up state is guaranteed to lead to deformation and mold.
Rules for installation and operation of hard bottom
Putting the paiola into the boat requires a certain sequence: first, the cylinders are inflated to the working pressure, then the protective awning is spread out (if any), and only then the sleigh is laid. It is important to observe the order of the elements to avoid distortion. When installing the sleeve board, make sure that it fits tightly to the paiola, forming a single plane.
When operating, make sure that sand and small debris do not accumulate between the bottom of the boat and the floorboards. Abrasive particles work like sandpaper when moving the boat, rubbing the cloth. Regularly, the water is not used in the boat. cleaning In winter, it is better to keep the boat with the floorboard removed, to avoid uneven pressure on the cylinders during temperature changes.
If you use a boat in winter (on non-freezing water bodies), remember that plywood and metal have different coefficients of thermal expansion. In severe frosts, plywood can become brittle, so impact loads should be excluded. Aluminum is more reliable in this regard, but requires caution when contacting the skin of the hands.
- 🔍 Regularly check the condition of fasteners and connective profiles.
- 💧 Do not leave a boat with floorboards installed in direct sunlight for a long time.
- 🧹 Use a soft brush to clean the surface of silt and sludge after each fishing trip.
Common mistakes in selection and installation
One of the most common mistakes is to try to save on the thickness of the material: too thin paioles will bend, creating a washboard effect on the water and quickly collapse under load. The other extreme is overweight. A boat overloaded with heavy aluminum bottom will become a roller and slowly accelerate, negating the benefits of the engine.
Ignoring the plywood ends is a way to get out of action quickly. Water always finds its way to the unprotected layers. It's also a mistake to use nails or screws to connect the sleighs inside the boat. Any metal cap sticking upwards is a risk of a balloon puncture or injury.
The main principle: Piolas should be as light as possible for your boat, but stiff enough not to bend under the weight of the crew. The golden mean is usually found in quality soaked plywood for boats up to 3.5 meters.
And also, you have to be mindful of compatibility. floorboards made for one model boat may not fit the other, even if the length is the same. The shape of the cylinders, the height of the bottom, and the location of the stringers (inflatable beams) are different from each manufacturer. Making it by eye without fitting often makes it impossible to inflate the boat properly or, conversely, the bottom dangles.
Can you use conventional floorboards instead of plywood?
It's not recommended to use conventional boards. They're heavier than plywood, absorb more moisture and deform over time (they lead), plywood is glued with cross layers of veneer, which gives it stability in geometry. If you really want natural wood, you better use larch rods that are bonded together, but this is already a complex carpentry.
How often should you change the lacquer coating on plywood paioles?
The frequency of renewal depends on the intensity of operation. When you use it actively (every weekend), inspect the coating once a season. If you have scuffles to a tree or bloating, you need to clean this area, dry it and apply a new layer of varnish. Usually, a quality coating lasts 2-3 years.
Does the color of the paiole affect the heating of the boat?
Dark floorboards (especially black or dark gray) heat up more in the sun, transferring heat to the air inside the cylinders. This can lead to excessive pressure. Light colors (gray, beige, white) reflect the sun's rays and help maintain a more stable temperature inside the boat.
Should I make floorboards from cellular polycarbonate?
Cellular polycarbonate is a controversial material for floorboard. It is lightweight and not afraid of water, but has low resistance to pinpoint loading (for example, heel or knee); Inflatable boats prefer monolithic polycarbonate (it is more expensive) or traditional materials. Cellular can burst when entering glides with full load.
Do I need to drill holes in floorboards for water drainage?
Drilling holes in the floorboards themselves is not necessary if they are tightly attached to the bottom. Water usually flows along the edges. However, if you make flooring with gaps (lattice), the water will go away by itself. In the classic version of solid slate, the water is scooped out or removed with a sponge, raising the edge of the last element.