Are aluminium rail necessary on wood floor?

costakyle

Cadet
Joined
Mar 21, 2010
Messages
18
I'm about to build a two piece plywood floor for my older 13ft zodiac from scratch. I trailer the boat and it has a 30hp outboard so weight isn't so important.
I've read most sib's have aluminium rails for the edges. Do they protect the hulls from the wood or do they only make the floor more stiff?
Reading that most sib's use 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood, Would 1inch plywood without the aluminium rails work as well?
I plan on using my boat in the ocean, not flat water if that matters.
Thanks for all your help.
 

saaber1

Cadet
Joined
Mar 7, 2010
Messages
16
Re: Are aluminium rail necessary on wood floor?

Makes it more stiff. Boards flex at the joints too much without.
 

TOHATSU GURU

Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2004
Messages
6,164
Re: Are aluminium rail necessary on wood floor?

And for the record, SIB is not a term used in the U.S. It's supposed to stand for soft inflatable bottom, but no one in the industry uses the term. Basically we simply say soft bottom. The rails do stiffen the boards preventing some flex and they do keep splinters from the wood from working on the fabric. Some antique inflatables, on non planing designs didn't use side rails at all, but those boats are no more.
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
Re: Are aluminium rail necessary on wood floor?

If it's an issue to get aluminum side rails, you can make them in wood too. A 13" sib needs at least 3 piece floorboards, the bow piece must be separate from middle & transom floorboards, this piece is not placed horizontally once keel is inflated but in slight angle and flexes as a hinge with sib. Better do a nice job if palanning to use a 30 HP engine, for that size, your are slight overpowered. Engine weight correct tube pressure inflation and well fitted floorboards are very important issues for correct sib/engine performance.

Happy Boating
 
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