hard floor for inflatable boat - adding a slight V

[Matthew017]

Hi. I am new here, I have seen a few post that have helped me. thanks

I have a flat bottom "BARK" inflatable dinghy. 2.9m I believe. I run this with a 5hp Johnson 2 stroke.
its a bit unstable in the chop, and after some research, I have decided to construct a ply floor with foam covered edges.

I am thinking of adding a slight V to the bottom of the floor, somehow, to push out a slight v in the hull, to hopefully cut through the chop that tiny, tiny bit better.
(the current slatted floor doesn't seem "tight" so it sort of catches the water in a pocket and really thumps)

can anyone think of any major problems this could cause? or have any ideas? was thinking some conduit, or pool noodles, or a combination. Then somehow fill the sides of the tubing so there isnt an air gap for the waves to push the material into.


I have searched on making the floor but no one has seemed to try and add a v.

I have thought of purchasing a different one but I have only just got this. And I don't think it will take much time, effort or funds.

thanks for any input on this idea

Matt.

 

[Andrew_Trayfoot]

I made one of these for my Avon out of Ikea bed slats and some canvas

 

[Matthew017]

how did it go? and did you add a V?

maybe I could join 2 boards at an angle to create the V at the front where it dips up. and somehow join it smoothly to the main board.
Im thinking of using hinges or a "H channel" to join them, so I can cut them for transport.

one of my main worries is the force of the waves hitting the bottom and pushing into air pockets.

I pumped the boat up today with no floor slats and the bottom isn't "tight" so I think I may get away with a slight V.

 

[arcot]

Hi. I am new here, I have seen a few post that have helped me. thanks

I have a flat bottom "BARK" inflatable dinghy. 2.9m I believe. I run this with a 5hp Johnson 2 stroke.
its a bit unstable in the chop, and after some research, I have decided to construct a ply floor with foam covered edges.

I am thinking of adding a slight V to the bottom of the floor, somehow, to push out a slight v in the hull, to hopefully cut through the chop that tiny, tiny bit better.
(the current slatted floor doesn't seem "tight" so it sort of catches the water in a pocket and really thumps)

can anyone think of any major problems this could cause? or have any ideas? was thinking some conduit, or pool noodles, or a combination. Then somehow fill the sides of the tubing so there isnt an air gap for the waves to push the material into.


I have searched on making the floor but no one has seemed to try and add a v.

I have thought of purchasing a different one but I have only just got this. And I don't think it will take much time, effort or funds.

thanks for any input on this idea

Matt.

An aluminum floor welded up and having a v could be glued with polyurethane glue to the inflatable dinghy fabric.
.
Saw this 3 years ago......did not need battens to hold the fabric to aluminium ....... as the glue is so strong

 

[Moodysailor]

Not the cheapest option but you could buy an inflatable keel from a different brand boat and fasten it to the wood floor, or even glue it to the dinghy floor. Then it would be just like any other Avon/Zodiac/[insert name here] version.

 

[Andrew_Trayfoot]

how did it go? and did you add a V?

maybe I could join 2 boards at an angle to create the V at the front where it dips up. and somehow join it smoothly to the main board.
Im thinking of using hinges or a "H channel" to join them, so I can cut them for transport.

one of my main worries is the force of the waves hitting the bottom and pushing into air pockets.

I pumped the boat up today with no floor slats and the bottom isn't "tight" so I think I may get away with a slight V.

It worked pretty well.
Tender was happy 3up and was a lot more ridged.
Handled my heavy (compared with a 2 stroke) Yamaha 2.5 much better as well.

 

[Graham376]

I think you need to go and look at hard floored dinghies somewhere. The floors are in sections usually joined with an H profile on one edge and a matching tongue on the adjacent board. They're held flat with aluminium profiles across the joins on the outer edges.

 

[Matthew017]

An aluminum floor welded up and having a v could be glued with polyurethane glue to the inflatable dinghy fabric.
.
Saw this 3 years ago......did not need battens to hold the fabric to aluminium ....... as the glue is so strong

if I could weld, this may be an option, but I cant

Not the cheapest option but you could buy an inflatable keel from a different brand boat and fasten it to the wood floor, or even glue it to the dinghy floor. Then it would be just like any other Avon/Zodiac/[insert name here] version.

true. but I think they have extra material on the floor to account for the V, so may be to much depth for my flat bottom .

It worked pretty well.
Tender was happy 3up and was a lot more ridged.
Handled my heavy (compared with a 2 stroke) Yamaha 2.5 much better as well.

ahh nice I may even have some old slats lol. might use them for the front.

I think you need to go and look at hard floored dinghies somewhere. The floors are in sections usually joined with an H profile on one edge and a matching tongue on the adjacent board. They're held flat with aluminium profiles across the joins on the outer edges.

I think I have seen these, sort of what I am basing my idea on. I think I know how I'm joining any cuts in the flat bits. But I'm unsure on the front.


Not quite sure how I'm going to get the incline.
I will attach some picture tomorrow.
if I manage to pull this off I will write up a guide for anyone else wanting to do this.

thanks for the help so far

 

[neil_s]

I have discarded them, now, but the bottom boards for my Avon Redcrest just had a length of 2x2 inch screwed to the bottom. This created a longitudinal 'lump' in the fabric of the dinghy's bottom and thus, a sort of keel. I only ever row the boat, so found the bottom boards a hinderance - but the simple ridge in the bottom might work for you!

 

[Matthew017]

I have discarded them, now, but the bottom boards for my Avon Redcrest just had a length of 2x2 inch screwed to the bottom. This created a longitudinal 'lump' in the fabric of the dinghy's bottom and thus, a sort of keel. I only ever row the boat, so found the bottom boards a hinderance - but the simple ridge in the bottom might work for you!

This sounds like what I am trying to achieve did you gain any stability when rowing?

I have my ply coming today so can get to work on a design. if I can stop the hull from "cupping" the water, and instead pushing it aside, even if only slightly, ill be happy

I think the hard floor itself, might assist lifting me in the water, possibly pushing the bow above these waves that get "cupped".
pics coming

 

[Matthew017]

My previous method of uploading photos wont work. how do you guys do it these days? I have copied a link to my google album, but not sure if this will show the photos in post.

boat

 

[scruff]

As a practically free trial, can you try putting a pool noodle under your current floorboards? It may just give enough push to make it work and prove the concept.

 

[Matthew017]

As a practically free trial, can you try putting a pool noodle under your current floorboards? It may just give enough push to make it work and prove the concept.

Ohh. I like this idea. thanks ill give it a go when I'm next out

 

[Matthew017]

little update: still in trial and error/perfecting. but floor works really well at the moment. get up on the plane quickly (seems fast) and doesn't bounce everything everywhere so maybe the v isn't "needed".
was able to stand up in the calmer minutes.

didn't feel comfortable adding the v, didn't want the bottom to tight, as if something tries to puncture it, it will be a lot easier if it's tight., and with foam behind the material.

I cut the shape, cut some timber at an angle and glued together with the front for the rising angle. then cut just behind the Timber so the floor is in 2.
sanded all round the edges till round and smooth. the covered with foam pipe covering. I got some "U section" from Wickes to connect the 2 board together when in the boat, and added foam after. cable tied it all down.

result: the foam got squashed through to the boards as it wasn't very good, so cut up the pool noodle and used that as edging. this worked much better. but was still a bit tight so going to shave the board down some more.
also I am only going to cover the corners with foam to give it a tight fit, and the join with the u section. cutting the foam at an angle so it sits in the tube/floor angled gap.
also, going to cut the back corners so they aren't rubbing against the "seams" of the transom joins. and add something to fill the gap at the back.

looking at other pre-made hard floors, ally or wood, they don't use foam they let the pvc tubes touch against the ally or varnished wood so may give it a go with less foam. just corners and joins maybe.

any easy ways to add my pictures into the thread? I don't wanna write up a guide till I'm 100% confident in the floor. (most guides I see are for the intext non transom boats)

at the moment its to tight, I get paranoid its gonna rub and damage something and it takes a while to get it in nicely. trimming and less foam should help this.

I have pictures to add but it says they are too big and hosting sites want me to pay

thanks


hopefully this helps out someone else as well

 

[mattonthesea]

[QUOTE="Matthew017, post: 7

I have pictures to add but it says they are too big and hosting sites want me to pay

thanks


hopefully this helps out someone else as well
[/QUOTE]
Download a free and small jpg editing programme. It should have a function to reduce the size of files. Usually a 'save as' or 'export' on the File menu will add a late option to adjust file size.

I use Glimpse but it is a big programme similar to Photoshop

For here I usually reduce to about half. Mb