Slatted base for inflatable

[Steve_Bentley]

I have a huge inflatable Avon with a solid base about 7ftx4ft (plus hinged bit at the front) which is too big and heavy to safely carry on the roof of the estate. It already has separate slip-on metal side rails (why?) but I want to make a new base of 3 sections so it all goes in the back of the car. I understand having a rigid base is a bonus for speed and would like the new 3 sections to be held rigid rather than loosely strapped together. Being able to reuse the side rails is useful but I'm wondering whether to a) hinge the 3 panels in a 'Z' with the side rails to reinforce, or b) butting the panels with some sort of bolt or male/female connectors. The second doesn't sound particluarly strong. Anyone attempted anything similar or have any better ideas? It's only got a 25hp so it's not for anything strenuous, trailor not an option, and the whole thing is only for fun so nothing expensive. Thanks!

 

[tcm]

The metal rails on an avon are for ripping your fingers off. er No they're u-shaped and during partial inflation you plonk them in the corners and somehow twistem to get the sides of the bits of wood floor in, keeping them flat. Assemble the wood and metal without the boat and you'll se wot I mean, i think. The wood helps the things keep it's shape, tho not really a strength thing. No prob in having more or fewer of these. If you aren't doing the right thing with the wood already (twisting it to clamp wood flat) - and if you're rolling the thing up easily, you aren't, then um you're just driving round with wood in the bottom, probly quicker without it..

As for it "only having 25 hp", this sounds quite beefy for a woody slat job, thought I was going some with 15hp. What the limit? What size? Ours was 2.85m long oa and 1.55m wide i think

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by kimhollamby on Wed Jan 23 16:59:00 2002 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[BarryD]

So 9.5hp on a 2.3 with a plastic slatted floor might be a bit silly then? Our QuickSilver has a "roll-up" slatted floor with the slats going from beam to beam, and it does not have any metal clips or rods to strengthen it - have I lost them?

Barry D

 

[tcm]

I knew about the avon with wood and rails which seem useless, until after ow ow fiddling with them. Other have slats mebbe with no rail bits, dunno.

I don't think the wood does a thing for the strength, just affects the shapekeeping and v indirectly the strength, and feels les like a waterbed to stand on. Main test is if the transom get ripped off with monster o/b, which it seems not to: ours was rated 8hp, but jolly fun with 15 and no probs. Flat water mind, no leaping off waves or waterskiing, well, not much.

 

[Steve_Bentley]

Erm I did say huge: the base is one huge board of marine ply (7ft x 4ft) and weighs a ton, so whereas I can understand rails being fitted on a slatted base they don't really do anything to add the strangth of the base? I think the whole thing might have been used as a diving platform at some stage, so maybe the base was re-made in one peice as a more stable floor? Anyway, it's too damned big hence I want to make a 3-piece floor. The model is an 'S550' but whether that actually means it's 5.5 metres (18foot) I somehow doubt! Perhaps that's the number of people needed to carry it with the O/B! Have to get the tape measure out one of the days.

 

[KevB]

Shite, I've only got a 2.2 on my 2.3mtr blow up thing, true you can't waterski behind it but it'll get you from the Folly to Cowes town centre. Eventually.

 

[tcm]

It does sound like a remade thing, but they kept the rails! Can't see any use for metal rails except if the wood is in several bits as you plan, to makem sort-of feel like one big board - strengthening a monster piece of ply almost half inch think not needed, imho, for this application. Cheapest therefore, leave the wood out and see what it's like? Plan B being wood. Obviously saw up the existing wood for that nice cheap project feel, but sanf off the edges and find some varnish or paint for the edges.

Wood-free will fine if its a inflatable keel - if it it's a non-inflaty keel, then it'll be a bit lilo ish and squishy but still dead quick with . Also, if no inflaty keel ....plenty of opportunity for you to make a v-keel effect by er slicing the bits of wood the other way, you know, and then make some stringers across, screw the flat bits onto that to make shallow-vee things, ooh very smart, but not too much of a vee in case wam it jumps up and whacks you in the face, though this may not happen if in true PBO style, of course, they never quite get finished...

 

[BarryD]

Ahh but I've not tried mine yet - and the 9.5 motor (220cc) has a big extenral tank - I think it might be a bit too large for the dinghy! Planning should be no trouble (can't wait to try it...)

Barry D

 

[paulineb]

Planning ?? nm

;-)

Pxx

 

[Steve_Bentley]

Try it without the floor? Hmmm could give that a try, although there's two small struts from the transom to the floor held on with wingnuts. Not sure how much they're needed and whether their s'posed to stop the outboard/transom fall off the back or stop the whole thing rolling up under power! Has actually got an inflaty keel with a slight vee, but now you've got me thinking: should I can make a vee'd and maybe stepped hull with spray bars, naturally all held together with a couple of kilos of epoxy resin as you say for that PBO touch! Seriously though, thanks for your ideas- I was a bit concerned by cutting up the base I'd turn it into an uncontrollable disaster.

 

[tcm]

the sruts and wingnuts make it sound dated, and from the way u describe it, bit poxy, though with obvious application. Best try floorless first, if super-wobbly or superflexy, do some more holes for struts onto sawn-up wood first of all, and then plan b v'keel.

good luck

 

[longjohnsilver]

You don't tell us how big the boat is. Sounds like on ethat my old diving club had 20 years ago, not really designed to be taken apart on a regular basis.

Also had an Avon (red?) rover about 10 years ago whichhad those orrid metal bars, absolute bugger to get them in place, designed to put you off inflatable boating for life!!

Mine had a 3 section floor so can't see why not cut original in 3, maybe think about extra bits to connect the cut bits togethre to stop bendy bendy action. Still seem to remember on bigger one going over waves with both bow and stern bent downwards, quite disconcerting!!

 

[Guest]

Feck. I've frightened myself with 8hp on a 2.7m air keel/air floor. Are you planning on joining the SBS? A stunt show? A good health insurance scheme?