How good are dinghies with inflatable floors?

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Rosa

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We have an old Avon Redstart for getting to/from the mooring-limited by capacity and sea state. Also a bullet proof Tinker Traveller, which I love, and is kept onboard, and used for more substantial trips, but is limited by its weight. Considering buying a new dinghy to replace both but reconsidering how practical one with an inflatable floor will be-the Traveller weighs 32kg and many of the newer type weigh more than this. How easy is it to assemble/inflate the new ones? I've read a fairly recent review in Sailing Today but would appreciate any responses from forumites who use them. Thanks.
 
Hello, Had a 2.4m dinghy for 5 yrs with an inflatable floor and I have not been able to fault it. Solid as a rock. However blew it up this year and there is a small area where the top/bottom layers of material are parting company and this has caused a very slight bulge. Colin.
 
Got a yamaha 4man (ish) with inflatable floor, much easyer to use and store than the hard floor 1 we had previously. Its a pritty heavy thing, but the floor weighs less than a wooden one would. Pritty hard to make it go in a straight line without the keel blown up, but that might just be me..Matt
 
I've had a Rover 280 with an inflatable floor for 11 years. The valve blew out of the floor when it was about a year old, but Avon replaced the floor under warranty and it has been worked hard ever since. Quite good as long as you get enough pressure in it.
 
No complaints about my Zodiac. Floor and keel keep it really firm to walk on and easier on the feet than wooden slats. It is a tad heavy for one person to lift onboard - perhaps I'm getting old and should use a halyard! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
the inflatable floor - per se - doesn't make a lot of difference, either in weight or in usability, compared to a solid floor.

What does transform a rubber dinghy is the inflatable keel, which makes it drier, more directionally stable, a better load-carrier and more easily driven.

In comparison the the Avon (or the Tinker) you won't recognise a modern inflatable keel + floor dinghy as belonging to the same genus.

The floors do puncture, a problem you don't have with solid floors, but repair is not too difficult.

Mine planes one person with a 3.3hp OB and, though only 2.4m long is rated for 3.5 adults or 350kg SWL.

An early Plastimo inflatable keel version had to have a very high pressure put into the keel, but my current one (German-made Bayside Sport) has normal 1.2bar pressure.

The only alternative I'd consider would be a small RIB, but they have the problem of stowage - here most dinghies travel inflated on fore-deck or cabin roof.
 
I ve been looking into this too, but for overpowering something.. Still, we have a 2.4 airdeck Tohatsu that seems very good. Few pointers.. just check where the oars stow,, usually on the tubes, but a few cm makes a difference between sitting on the damn things, and them being out of the way. Its light enough to heave onto the boat.
Usual issue is just how hard to pump the keel.. an airpump wont be enough, so you need to get it solid with the footpump. Also, the inflated hull should give you some sort of V, which makes directional control better than a flat floor.
Some have an inflatable keel, AND an inflatable floor. Thats good in that any water is under the floor. Honwave for example doesnt have the inner floor, so your feet and phone are sitting in any water on board.
There are a few sold floor ribs about. They tend to be a bit more expensive, and a bit heavier, but there again. its a solid floor,which might be better for pulling up ragged rock beaches!
Usual culprits make them, but Mercruiser do some called Sunsport. Havent seen one, but price seems a bit closer to airdecks. Lastly Ebay has some generic names (Tidal Wave etc). No idea who they are or what the build is like, but they are cheap. Whether thats good cheap, or bad cheap, I dont know. I think I d want to inspect one before spending, personally.
 
maybe I wasnt clear;I meant (electric)airpump often needs to be finished off with the footpump to get the pressue up to get a rock solid floor- which is the aidea of them.
 
I've got an excel dinghy with inflatable floor and keel that I bought second hand, great value compared to an avon and still seems very good quality.

http://www.excel-inflatables.co.uk/boats/inflatables/pg_inflatable-sd260.htm

Floor is great, I definitely find it rigid enough. The dinghy goes very well with 5hp yamaha. I much prefer inflatable floors to solid boards as you don't have to mess about getting them in and out, it just stays in place and gets deflated. Although the floor could get punctured I wonder if the floor is less likely to be punctured by chafing from wooden boards?
 
Many thanks for all your helpful replies-it seems that technology has certainly moved on since I last bought a dinghy! I suppose what I'm really looking for is a performance inflatable that can be easily transported in the car, inflated quickly, be light enough to lift on board, and into the car, and cope with getting to/from a mooring which can be exposed at times! Max 3 people. Not much to ask is it?
 
We have a Quicksilver 270 airdeck, 10HP on the back and speed is in excess of R17 solo, faster than the Avon 270 minirib thta was stolen, as its a LOT lighter. Will get up on the plane with Dad and three kids on board or forge along happily 5up with care and common sense.
 
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