Airdeck inflatables

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ontheplane

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Hi there,

Has anyone got any experience of these, are they better or worse than small RIBS or Slatted Floor inflatables - they are a little more expensive, but would people say they were worth the extra?

Anyone know what I should expect to pay for one around 3m that will take a 10HP?

Thanks

Grant
 
They are fantastic, light but firm, makes it much easier to disassemble dingy, and light. For me hard floors on inflatable tenders are a technology of the past, airdeck floors are imho the only way to go for tenders (except larger RIBs of course). Worth every extra penny.
 
Well, I can add a little here. - I can say that an Avon 3.40m airdeck and a 15hp(2 stroke) is not the best combination !

Unfortunately, even an Avon "Lite", RIB would not fit in my garage, well it has a jetski in there already !

Excessive cavitation at anything more than just over tickover. It's all about trim, apparently, and putting someone in the bow - not always possible for me. So it's a 2.80m and a 6hp(4 stroke), not picked it up yet, but here's hoping a better outcome !


Adrian
www.cleanandshiny.co.uk
 
Do you need to carry the dinghy up the beach or up onto a quay, If the answer is yes then a slatted floor or an airdeck is the only option.

If the above is not an issue and you have davits a winch for a garage or a lifting swim platform a rib is a possibility.

If you just want to pootle to the beach then an airdeck is adequate.

If you want speed, to use ringos or skis and to do long distance exploring a rib is far better. It is a better sea boat and will cut the waves better.

horses for courses as they say.
 
I had a Zodiac 285 with an inflatable floor/keel a few years back. Whilst they are definitely superior to a flat bottomed slatted tender, IMHO, they are'nt as good as a proper RIB. Our Zodiac was a bit wobbly to get in and out of and whilst it was fast 'coz it was light, it did'nt feel very stable at speed. A proper RIB is a better buy IMHO unless weight is a big issue
 
My previous Zodiac fastroller airdeck kept on snapdavits has been replaced by an Avon rib the same size [2.7] Although heavier the rib is more stable and faster. But if the airdeck is kept hard inflated there is not a lot to choose. Now my marina has started to charge for the extra 6" the dingy takes up on the davits perhaps i should have replaced the Zodiac and kept it stowed.
 
Interesting Mike, we had a light Air deck inflatable dingy with air keel and floor and 9hp motor, great little tender, but we now have a 4m rib and 30hp with console seats which feels much more stable, BUT weighs a heck of a lot more at about 170kg (inc motor, rib and fuel), so we hoist onto electric davits, but too heavy to pull up beeches, and in a blow I've always been concerned about the forces on the davits even though we have heavy duty ones reinforced with extra supports to the bathing platform. Works well but we stap it up well to the davits especially for rough weather passages. Sometimes I wonder about changing back to an air floor tender and 9hp so I can stop worrying about it. The 30hp 4m rib is fun for skiing and towing toys, but we seem to use it more now just for shore access when on the hook or a mooring buoy. The weight of the rib is not as annoying since we got the electric Simpson davits, but if we were still using manual winches I'd definitely go back to a light inflatable tender.

DSCF5191.JPG
 
Yup, davits are a prob. I once had a davit break with a 3.4m RIB + 15hp motor in the middle of the E Channel. Not funny. But it's not only the davit, it's the grp mounting as well. I had a mate with a Fairline Corniche and one of his davits ripped out of it's grp mounting
I'm in favour of RIB's over a soft floor tender but only if they can be handled easily and dragged up beaches. I've had a couple of Valiant RIBS which, because the hulls are single skinned, they're lighter than double skinned RIBS (eg some Avons) so can be lifted easier and need less hp
 
Overall I believe the advantages of an airfloor are greater than the disadvantages.

BUT

There is one significant disadvantage to Air decks you need to be aware of.

The floor is thick and takes a large part of the inner depth away.

In calm conditions this is not an issue but if you want to travel at speed across chop or wakes you need to be aware of the danger of bouncing out.
The floor does give when you hit a wave/wake which will help give you that little nudge over the side.
In effect it is like being sat up on a lilo at 17 knots with your knees too high which is also an issue if you go a long way as pins and needles take hold with nowhere to jump around .

There is an Air RIB that allows greater depth.

The whole thing feels less stable in chop than the solid floor.
 
One other relatively minor issue is that when you get water in an air deck, which you invariably do, it sits under the floor so its difficult to get out, whereas with a small RIB you normally have a drain hole, or at least can bail or pump it out.
 
There's a lot to think about here. A single skin RIB like the Bombard AX500 is lighter than an airdeck and can be dragged up a beach by one person, but as Questor will tell you it can be hard on the knees at speed.

We had a Quicksilver 280 airdeck with a 10hp Yamaha 2 stroke and it was good for about 15 knots and did once pull SWMBO up on a wakeboard. We replaced it with a Rhino Rider, which was great fun but way too heavy. That was sold for a Bombard AX500 single skin RIB which broke up because it should never had a console fitted. We now have a Brig 300 Sport RIB with a console that is reasonably fast and stable and can ski the wife and kids. It's just about draggable up the beach single handed.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Whatever. Dont buy a Suzumar. Mines rotted to bits, in less than 4 years.


[/ QUOTE ] Look on the bright side: at least it proves that your Patent Boat Remover does what it says on the tin...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Airdecks are much better on the water than slatted floors but not as solid (or heavy, usually) as small ribs. Slatted floor models probably pack away more neatly unless you actually suck out the air in the airdeck by pump.
Make sure you get one with as large a diameter tubes as possible. This helps to counter the possible lack of depth within the boat. Also for handling at speed it will need to have an inflatable keel which helps stop the skidding effect in high speed turns.
If you tip ours up when on "dry land", whatever water is in it will come out ok.
Oh d**n I can't remember the make of ours - Dutch Co. but built in China - like many others.
EUREKA!!!!! It's a Lodestar which , as a brand came out with good results in "recent" comparative tests.
 
I had a Honda V-floor inflatable which I found to be very stable and manoeuvreable (spelling) and would reccomend them. I think Honda want about £880 for a 3.2m which is the size I had and it was rated for 15hp.
 
Airdeck are better by far than slatted floor type. I ran a Honda 3.2m last year with a 15hp 2 stroke. Good for about 20kts with 1 adult. The v floor cuts well into waves and I thought it behaved better than the Zodiac folding transom Rib I had previously owned.

You dont loose any space because the floor is convex and water can be bailed out easily. Despite being a bit of a speed freak I actual thought the 15hp was a bit overpowered and would go for a 10hp next time.

They are not cheap, but I know of a 2.7m one with about 2 hours use thats for sale at a good price.
 
We have a Lodestar 3D-V 3.2 M with air floor which also has a pair of small 'speed tubes' under the tubes which are sposed to help planing etc. I am really impressed with build quality ease of use etc.

boot.jpg


We currently only push it along with a 3.5hp Yamaha Malta so no planing for us... I plan to get a 9.8hp 2 stroke tohatsu which should help.

It has a drain in the transom to empty any water that gets underneath - not much.

I'd of thought it'd make a good lightweight alternative to a rib, especially if used off davits.

70_0.jpg
 
Thanks to all - pretty much what I figured.

I can't really go for a full RIB as I want to be able to deflate (totally or partially) and store on board somewhere , and on cabin roof when using boat.

I will look for the Lodestar, and interested in the 2 year old one if it's cheap enough - PM me please - I can get them on eBay new for about £350 but I am not sure if the Quality is up to much?

Kind Regards

Grant
 
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