Tender wrestling...

[MagicalArmchair]

...nope, not THAT sort of tender wrestling, I mean the Plastimo P270 and putting in the floor. What order to do put these slats down in for the least grief? Its almost impossible on deck

I tend to try and put the aft three sections in, hammer them as far aft as possible then slide the two aluminium supports down the side, then somehow lever in the bow section. I've even sawn a bit off the front section as originally it wouldn't fit AT ALL (second hand fleabay purchase...). They are plywood, meaning they may have swollen... they should have dried out by now with all the hot bits of summer we've had...?

Great dinghy though, very solid... anyone suggest a simpler way of putting the deck down? I've taken to towing the beast everywhere to save the hassle of pumping the devil up :encouragement:

 

[Tranona]

Sell it and buy one with an airdeck floor. Wooden floors are the invention of the devil - only worse things are aluminium floors on older high performance inflatables.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I don't know about the Plastimo but when I still had an inflatable I always used to insert the floor slats or panels before starting the inflation routine. No "wrestling" necessary.

 

[RupertW]

When we finally got a boat able to take it, I was very happy to give up inflating/deflating and have a rib almost inflated all year round - it does block the forehatch when underway or very windy at anchor if not deployed but it's great to have it ready to launch easily.

(Hoisting it back up again a bit more hard work, and next time we'd buy a 2.3m rib not a 3m one as it's usually just the two of us).

 

[macd]

I don't know about the Plastimo but when I still had an inflatable I always used to insert the floor slats or panels before starting the inflation routine. No "wrestling" necessary.

I seem to remember doing much the same, or partially inflating it at most.

 

[prv]

I seem to remember doing much the same, or partially inflating it at most.

Even the instructions the OP has posted say to have the tubes only 1/4 inflated, which sounds about right to me (you want a little bit of shape to see what goes where, rather than a flat heap of rubber).

If he's trying to wrestle the floor into place with the tubes pumped up it's no wonder he's struggling!

Second Tranona's recommendation for an airdeck, though. Works just as well on the water but a lot easier to deal with on the yacht.

Pete

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Even the instructions the OP has posted say to have the tubes only 1/4 inflated, which sounds about right to me (you want a little bit of shape to see what goes where, rather than a flat heap of rubber).


Pete

The OP's instructions say "3/4", which I think is way too much.

 

[Bru]

I put them in before I even start inflating (Plastimo 220). Never struck me as a problem and never crossed my mind to do it any other way

Actually, now I've got two huge cockpit lockers I won't bother taking them out in future (had to on Erbas to pack the flubber down small enough to go in the locker)