Intex Mariner 4 modifications and Tips

KingPhoenix

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Oct 18, 2014
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33
What's the asking price? It looks under inflated. Is there any way you can test it fully inflated for 24 hours?

I think she just inflated it for a picture so it wasn't properly inflated. I got them down to $100, I live in Toronto, Canada so the mariner 4 isn't easy to obtain. (seems Intex discontinued the line too judging by their website) I can't even find an option of where to buy a new one everywhere seems to be out of stock. It's a craigslist ad so I don't know about testing for 24 hours but I would pick it up from their house, that usually gives me some confidence they are not misrepresenting it's condition.

If you consider all this you may want to go for a new one...at least there is a warranty.In time you may need some or all of the above, which is just maintenance( to be able to get three or four years out of the boat)..but you may not want to start your maiden voyage with all of the above problems.

Thanks, that is a sobering list of issues that I likely would not be able to detect. Like I mentioned above I live in Canada and there doesn't seem to be alot of options to buy this model boat here.
$100 was cheap enough that my wife couldn't say no :)
Was hoping to make the mods/maintenance a winter project, but I may just save over the winter and buy something new in spring/summer.
... Please tell me more about the underwater exploration kit this could get interesting!

Thanks for all your help, truly appreciate it.
 

flukesofnature

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Mar 9, 2014
Messages
122
Phoenix
Hopefully none of those issues occur...welcome to the family of happy Intex owners. Go to Amazon.com, look up Intex mariner, and then look at the affiliate companies, I/E windycity superstores,...they may have a canadian shipping policy(call them)....also check rubberboats.com.....they have had the market on Intex for a while. Since you got the boat for a hundred.....check out " Bixlers " tube seal (reference internal slime for unseen leaks) this is a good product..and made in Canada....for the cost of one bottle..around 50 dollars US, is is a small price to pay for peace of mind on a used boat. Now , as I said, the rest is maintenance.
Happy fishing and floating...hopefully on the water and not in it!!!!LOL
I know it is a pain...more like rites of passage..but in this thread from the first page to page 89..is just about every answer you need for the experience of inflatable boats,especially the mariner 4 and 3.......seek and you shall find!!!!
 

KingPhoenix

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Joined
Oct 18, 2014
Messages
33
Phoenix
Hopefully none of those issues occur...welcome to the family of happy Intex owners. Go to Amazon.com, look up Intex mariner, and then look at the affiliate companies, I/E windycity superstores,...they may have a canadian shipping policy(call them)....also check rubberboats.com.....they have had the market on Intex for a while. Since you got the boat for a hundred.....check out " Bixlers " tube seal (reference internal slime for unseen leaks) this is a good product..and made in Canada....for the cost of one bottle..around 50 dollars US, is is a small price to pay for peace of mind on a used boat. Now , as I said, the rest is maintenance.
Happy fishing and floating...hopefully on the water and not in it!!!!LOL
I know it is a pain...more like rites of passage..but in this thread from the first page to page 89..is just about every answer you need for the experience of inflatable boats,especially the mariner 4 and 3.......seek and you shall find!!!!



Thanks for the tips, definetly pick up a tube of that sealant looks perfect for piece of mind!!
Rubber boats.com has none in stock either! Shipping something that size across the border is usually cost prohibitive. Tried it out on amazon.com lol
yun8WUk.jpg

i found it on the Intex site for $360 its under laminate section, they will ship it for $80, but import and duties can be unpredictable. And for the money I saved I dont mind repairs here and there, im handy so im not too worried about it.

I plan on reading through most of this thread to get some ideas, i figure i can get some used boat stuff over the winter for pretty cheap being out of season.

WOW the motor mount kit is $27 on amazon.com, and it $90 on amazon.ca!!
All in including shipping I can order it from .com for $56
 

flukesofnature

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Mar 9, 2014
Messages
122
As a side note...check back to post # 1190.and follow his threads..slayer33 describes his experience living in Canada and buying...etc. You might Private message him and get his take on the canadian shipment head ache for INTEX products...
 

Slayer33

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
47
Thanks for the tips, definetly pick up a tube of that sealant looks perfect for piece of mind!!
Rubber ********** has none in stock either! Shipping something that size across the border is usually cost prohibitive. Tried it out on amazon.com lol
yun8WUk.jpg

i found it on the Intex site for $360 its under laminate section, they will ship it for $80, but import and duties can be unpredictable. And for the money I saved I dont mind repairs here and there, im handy so im not too worried about it.

I plan on reading through most of this thread to get some ideas, i figure i can get some used boat stuff over the winter for pretty cheap being out of season.

WOW the motor mount kit is $27 on amazon.com, and it $90 on amazon.ca!!
All in including shipping I can order it from .com for $56

Hey KingPhoenix.

I actually have 2 Mariner 4s, my modified one that I used this past season and one still brand new in the box that I may consider selling :).

I also have the non-composite mount that I would include with the new boat. I'm in Calgary, AB, so I can't really comment on how much shipping would cost to Toronto.. its not a light box by any means.

Getting any Intex stuff up here is so ridiculously difficult. I ordered supposedly the composite mount directly from Intex and when it arrived at my door step it was actually the older wooden version and they would refund me the $24 for the mount, but not the $30 for shipping or the return shipping cost either, so I just kept it.

I ended up having a friend order me the composite mount from amazon.com and when he went down to the US he picked it up from his place and brought it back up for me.
 
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Starkonian

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Jul 8, 2009
Messages
156
Toronto is so close to the States. There must be a way to have it shipped to some shipping location just over the USA border. You can then drive down and pick it up.

Tried the M4 at Bethany Reservoir on Saturday. Pretty awesome. Definitely need the wood floor. The front milk crate was a balancing act the whole time. I had a larger retangular milk crate I picked up at Sears in the back. That one was much more stable. There's no hard water here in California so I'll have to get to work on a floor asap for the winter fishing season. My 7 year old took over the trolling motor the whole time :)
 

ScottishScript

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Oct 19, 2014
Messages
79
Hi Everyone,

Just a 'quick' comment to one, introduce myself, and two see if I can actually figure out how to post here as I'm not too experienced on forums.

I decided almost a year ago to buy a dinghy here in Scotland to expand my pike fishing ambitions. I spent a few weeks scouring the web for info on boats which eventually led me to this forum, which finally convinced me on purchasing a Mariner 4 and I haven't been disappointed. Just bought a second in the box for $100 last week too, my backup in case of a disaster.

I would have returned to post earlier, but I decided to spend a year getting to know the boat and coming up with some mods of my own, trying them out etc. to see if they worth sharing. (I thought becoming a 'sailor' would be tricky enough, but I never realised I'd have to take up carpentry too.)

Because I usually add a new tweak every time I go out on the water, the pics I have of my boat are already out of date so I'll try to get some this week to better illustrate stuff I've done.

During the past year I've experimented with different floor designs. I built a two section floor with each section hinged for easy storage in the car. This was catastrophic. Apart from losing rigidity, the pressure caused by the hinging led to small stress tears where the floor meets the sides, resulting in minor flooding.
Because these stress tears only opened when someone was in the boat, finding and repairing the damage was a nightmare. But I did, and I could write a theses on all the different kinds of glue I tried before finding the right one.

I've calculated I've had the boat out around thirty odd times and have only ever experienced one air puncture, which was fixed using a transparent bike repair patch and some glue. In fact the patch came off ages ago, but the glue still keeps it sealed.

For me the biggest issue with the Mariner 4 was the fact it's a rubber boat, which places limits on how far you can modify the beast. The most important thing for me was comfort and ease of use when trolling. I have two basic boat chairs on swivel stems which bolt into the plywood floor, but like many I found the 'rod holders' that come with the Mariner 4 to be woefully inadequate. There was also the issue of my Humminbird 140 sonar and where to put it. I'd read people suffered problems with vibration when running their trolling motors full speed, with some people even losing their kit as a result.

So I guess most of my mod efforts have revolved around the motor mount. I bought the basic Intex composite motor mount with the boat, but it could barely take my sonar with the trolling motor so something had to change.

To cut a long story short, using the arms of the Intex motor mount as a base, I designed and built eight different plates to fit onto the arms until I had something that worked. Once I had that 'finished' design, I had to redesign it again so that the monstrosity would come apart and fold flat in my car. After treating the wood, primer and three coats of red paint to match the boat it's ready for trials end of the week.

Basically this plate allows me to attach two proper rod holders either side of my chair using extending arms which are bolted on. I've used the once piece version of this design for a couple of months and it works great. It means both rods and reels are in my peripheral vision and I can grab either one without turning my chair or stretching.

When I take a friend out I bring a folding 'bow board' which has two flush Scotty rod holder bases screwed in. This means we both have two rods placed either side of us and I've just about figured out how to troll four rods on such a small boat without snagging one another.

Anyway here's some pics I took of the custom motor mount plate and arms, I'll try to post some pics with it on the boat soon.

James:)
MOTORMOUNT 001.jpg MOTORMOUNT 002.jpg MOTORMOUNT 003.jpg
 

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flukesofnature

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Mar 9, 2014
Messages
122
Scottish Script
Are you actually saying that on that side of the world air flows out of and water flows into porous(self induced or not) PVC inflatable boats?????
Who da thunk it.....LOL
Sounds like you have the official "Been there- done that" Intex badge of honor.
That is a cool set up for your motormount. Nice work!
 

Starkonian

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 8, 2009
Messages
156
Scottishscript~ so what did you end up doing with the floor situation. Greg_S said he uses two unconnected boards and did not report any stress issues with the boat. Was it the hinge which caused the boat to stress and rip? I was thinking of doing as Greg_S advised but don't want to trash the boat.
 

ScottishScript

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Oct 19, 2014
Messages
79
"Scottishscript~ so what did you end up doing with the floor situation. Greg_S said he uses two unconnected boards and did not report any stress issues with the boat. Was it the hinge which caused the boat to stress and rip? I was thinking of doing as Greg_S advised but don't want to trash the boat."

When I used two unconnected sections from day one I had zero problems. Here's a pic of one I made the other day and these work perfect.

MARFLOOR 001.jpg

It was only once I tried to turn the two separate sections into two sections that folded on hinges that I ran into trouble. The hinges made for easier transportation because I could fold them down, but the boards would never sit flat again when in the boat. This meant the weight of me, my seat and battery where transferred to two acute areas where the hinged sections joined. See photo below.

MARFLOOR 004.jpg

This is what caused the stress tears, too much weight in one little spot either side of my chair. Once I fixed the tears and reverted back to the unhinged sections it was fine with no problems since. Yeah I could have rigged a means of keeping it straight, but simpler is better. Stick with two flat sections.

Two things I would mention about the floor. You really don't have to line the edges with pipe insulation as many seem to do. I think this started on boats with much thinner materials where people rightly wanted to play safe. I have never used anything on the edges and have had zero problems. Just make sure the boards are well sanded and check after every other use they're not degrading anywhere, plywood tends to crumble over time. If you find a place where that's happening, just sand it down again.

Secondly, the rigidity of the floor comes not just from the plywood, but the keel once it's inflated. To aid the keel in that job, I always insert the original flooring minus ALL but one section of the plastic slats it came with. I cut this section down to about 40cm so that it doesn't reach the sides, because if it did it might cause stress when combined with the depth of the ply flooring.
MARFLOOR 006.jpg

This is placed in the original flooring, in the sleeve section that lies beneath where the two sections of your ply floor meet in the middle. When you inflate the keel, this 40cm section of slat - if positioned correctly - will push up on the edges of your plywood sheets keeping them level. Here's a photo.

MARFLOOR 007.jpg




The trick is to line that slat up so that both ply sections rest on it, but it does help once the keep is inflated. Hope this helps.
 

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Starkonian

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Scottish~ I had indeed thought when I cut the plywood board into two, I'd try to make the cut so the the two halves met in the middle of one of the center slats. A few more questions for you if I may:

~Why did you decide to not use all the slats? Are the two mating sections of the floor boards flush with each other with the sole support slat?
~How thick is the floor plywood you've used?
~Can you pass along the width dimension you've used when you cut the board?
~ Do you find the two floor sections sliding around at all?

€‹Hope these aren't too many questions and thanks for taking the time to provide so many informative details!
 
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ScottishScript

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Oct 19, 2014
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~Why did you decide to not use all the slats? Are the two mating sections of the floor boards flush with each other with the sole support slat?

If you keep all the slats and add the ply, that creates pressure on the sides once the boat and keel are inflated. The ply is meant to replace the slats. Also, keeping the slats plus the ply adds an awful lot of weight to the floor, which in turn adds stress to wherever the floor joins the boat proper. Not to mention more weight drains your trolling motor battery while boating/ fishing, which is the end game here.

The plywood floors meet with an inch space between, but SIT ATOP the cut down slat I highlighted. When you inflate the keel, it forces that single slat upwards and gives rigidity to where the ply sheets meet. It's a combination of pressure on the ply from the inflated sides and the keel pushing up from beneath.

~How thick is the floor plywood you've used?

Half an inch thick.

~Can you pass along the width dimension you've used when you cut the board?
See photo below. You can go over a couple CM on all of these and still be fine.

MARFLOOR 001-B.jpg


If you're going to fit a standard boat chair with swivel stem, I've found the above distance from the board edge offers the most comfort. It allows you and your mate to turn 360 in your chairs without getting your feet caught on batteries etc.

~ Do you find the two floor sections sliding around at all?

No. And my dimensions could even be a little bigger all around, but they make for easy insertion and removal. So long as the boat sides hug the ply board edges upon inflation, the pressure will stop boards moving around.

Hope this helps.
 

Starkonian

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Jul 8, 2009
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156
Scottish~ Outstanding details and photos/measurements. I'm puzzled, why the 1" gab between the floor sections?
 

ScottishScript

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Oct 19, 2014
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79
~ Outstanding details and photos/measurements. I'm puzzled, why the 1" gab between the floor sections?

The gap is there when I slide both boards as far as I can to either end, but it's usually gone once I slide them together over the slat.

Don't get too caught up on the details of the floor, so long as they're broad enough (88cm) to be gripped by the boat once it's fully inflated it'll be fine.

I've made four sets so far for myself and a friend and none are exactly alike, but all work.

And I meant to say, making the holes for the keel valve on both floors that big (14x10cm), makes for decent carry handles when shifting them them around.

:)
 

flukesofnature

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Mar 9, 2014
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122
scottish
Great details and layout photos. I have the mariner 3 and used the two board floor(one sheet of OSB cut in half, less about two inches on each end= 94 inches L 24.5 inches W) I close measured all the angles a did use styrofoam insulation on the edges. Pretty snug fit. My leaks came approximately at the 1st angle inward measured from the center point of the boat. Just about the same position I placed the seat column...so my stress tears come from all the weight of my back forty, battery, and trolling motor nearly on that location. I decreased the width of the floor board by a tad on each side when I saw how much pressure was on the seam / side tube junction..but the damage was already done.
I also found that when I was prepping those areas for the hh66 I used to patch the O SO hard to find stress tears, I used acetone to clean the areas before the adhesive. Intex makes great claim about the material being able to handle solvents, and all that, but I found that their loud advertising does not cover the stitching in it's claims.It seemed the acetone loosened and in some cases released the stitching in the floor /keel seam junction. Not really that big deal, but had to re-do( 2 coats) of adhesive to cover the original stress tears. It still leaks a little, usually after 12 hours of trolling with me sitting in the same spot for most of those hours.
Live and learn. I bought a kayak water pump( about 17 dollars) and thus if the water gets annoying I just pump it out.
The leak did cause me to regret the original use of OSB for my flooring material...never dried out, absorbed a bunch of water and nearly doubled in thickness..thus increasing the weight considerably..So I have been there done that badge of honor also!!!LOL
 
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ScottishScript

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Oct 19, 2014
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79
"The leak did cause me to regret the original use of OSB for my flooring material...never dried out, absorbed a bunch of water and nearly doubled in thickness..thus increasing the weight considerably..So I have been there done that badge of honor also!!!LOL"

Yes I believe it is a very unique pain we share, one that few others can ever comprehend.

As regards the maintenance hell that is repairs using solvents.

I grew tired of using PVC solvents that claimed to end my misery of puddles at my ankles. Some would last one or two trips but I always ended up where I started, wet and miserable. In fact if I were out for twelve hours on a long summer day I'd have to set aside an hour half to empty the boat of gear and tip the boat to get all the water out. So I decided to experiment.

I took one of the inflatable pillows that came with the boat which use the same material as the hull, and dissected it into a variety of patches I might need in the future. Then using a batch of small patches I smeared each in different types of solvent, folded them over, let them dry then left them in glasses of water to gauge their effectiveness. I lost count of how many different types of solvent I bought from my local hardware store, some of them costing £10 ($14) for a small tube.

What eventually worked perfectly was the one glue I had been avoiding for fear of destroying the boat. Superglue.

I've been out a dozen times on my superglue patch and it's still solid, but here's the catch. Are all superglues identical? I'm not so sure. Having found a brand that works I would never try another on the boat without first testing it on a patch. Having established a superglue that worked I bought a bunch of that specific brand for future events. (In this case it's cheap generic superglue from my local Asda superstore.) If it works, hoard it, is my motto.

But on the subject of the floor. In my opinion the floor membrane and the seam attaching it to the boat hull are the Mariner's greatest weakness. In particular the rear half of the floor where most of the weight is usually sitting. I've highlighted this pic so people know what I'm talking about.

INTEX MARINER FLOOR 01.jpg





I fish with my Mariner in the glacial lochs of Scotland, which usually means stones, millions of them. From the start I would use a tarp for setting up the boat before dragging it into the water proper.

But I soon realised the weight at the rear when coming back ashore was creating tiny pin prick holes in the membrane. And while they won't bring too much water in, it does highlight the weakness of the material. So much so I considered buying a roll of grey PVC and covering the membrane at the rear half, either side of the keel's rock-guard strip.

However I had doubts about whether or not I could glue such large sections of PVC securely without them coming off when the boat was going through the water. In the end I came up with better methods for getting the boat in and out the water to avoid stones causing problems. I repaired the holes I had using transparent bike repair patches placed on the inside of the membrane and they work fine.

I saw someone asking earlier what was the best method for finding holes. In my experience, if it's an air hole, coat one section of the boat at a time in very soapy water and it should reveal the leak. It helps if you have someone occasionally pumping air into the section to maintain pressure until leak is found.

If it's a water leak relating to the floor membrane or floor seam, try this.

Fully inflate the boat in darkness either inside the house or in the yard. Flip the boat and climb underneath. Have someone on the outside use a very powerful torch to highlight the membrane and seal while you push the membrane up and away from you. Work your way slowly section by section to give each section the all clear.

If there are any holes in the membrane they will light up and look like stars in the night sky. Use a marker pen to circle them for patching later using transparent bike tube patches.

If there are any weaknesses in the seal, they will show up as brighter sections where it's been stressed. Mark those areas on the outside, taking care to outline the length of the problem. Do this even if you see no actual holes. If the section is brighter it's stressed and will likely open once full weight is applied to hull when boat is in use. Then apply a patch at least two inches wide and as long as the highlighted area. I even considered doing this the entire length of the seam to prevent future problems.

Best way to apply a patch? You'll need your solvent of choice, a patch, a heavy weight and a Beanie Baby. Yeah, I finally found a use for Beanie Babies. Apply solvent to patch and area to be patched. Once tacky press patch on, ensuring there are no air bubbles etc. Wipe away excess solvent from the edges then lay Beanie baby on patch. Then put heavy weight on the Beanie. The Beanie's tiny beaded innards will spread the weight out evenly over the patch to ensure a good seal. Leave for at least a couple of hours, or twenty mins if using a superglue you know to be safe.

Over time sand and grit will build up along the seams and under the inflatable keel, so giving your boat a good hosing or pressure wash around the inside seams now and again is a good idea.

:)
 

flukesofnature

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Mar 9, 2014
Messages
122
Scottish
Good Post.....distant minds motivated by wet feet and gear seem to think alike. With the trend towards modifying the floors etc(obviously a seller ,as Intex began last year putting slatted floors in their M-3's at nearly double the cost) one would think that they might be open to the suggestion of reinforcing the dreaded floor /side tube seam with higher and better stitching, glue whatever....but as many will attest to in this post,talking to Intex customer service is like yelling at power bait.
BTW..in in our backwards section of the world(pacific coast America) the word "torch" would be something powered by Propane with a high pressure flame used to cut metal. However, considering the frustration I have felt looking for water leaks, or air pin holes at night ,which I have done, you may have fully intended to use that word, as a final, but satisfying recourse to the inept engineering foisted upon us by some third tier lackey at INTEX, and the resultant encroaching into our personal space ,by water in a supposedly dry and safe inflatable oasis.
They obviouly don't realize "IT'S NOT JUST A RAFT" to us, more like a user friendly version of the Queen Mary, and should be engineered thus!
 
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ScottishScript

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Oct 19, 2014
Messages
79
Scottish
Good Post.....distant minds motivated by wet feet and gear seem to think alike. With the trend towards modifying the floors etc(obviously a seller ,as Intex began last year putting slatted floors in their M-3's at nearly double the cost) one would think that they might be open to the suggestion of reinforcing the dreaded floor /side tube seam with higher and better stitching, glue whatever....but as many will attest to in this post,talking to Intex customer service is like yelling at power bait.
BTW..in in our backwards section of the world(pacific coast America) the word "torch" would be something powered by Propane with a high pressure flame used to cut metal. However, considering the frustration I have felt looking for water leaks, or air pin holes at night ,which I have done, you may have fully intended to use that word, as a final, but satisfying recourse to the inept engineering foisted upon us by some third tier lackey at INTEX, and the resultant encroaching into our personal space ,by water in a supposedly dry and safe inflatable oasis.
They obviouly don't realize "IT'S NOT JUST A RAFT" to us, more like a user friendly version of the Queen Mary, and should be engineered thus!


I hear you. The real reason to share such horror stories is to spare those starting out with their Mariner's the grief of battling the appearance of interior ankle puddles. There's nothing like experience, and nothing gifts experience like a bad experience.
 

Bibby

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Oct 23, 2014
Messages
1
Hello everyone. This forum has some really great info so thanks for everyone contributing, read the whole thing. I bought my girl a M4 at the end of September. I live in Jersey so the weather is starting to get cold. Don't have a lot of money so will do these upgrades slowly and in stages. Actually not a bad thing that winter is coming, since can get this thing prepared. I don't expect us to take the boat out very often, a few times a year, but that's why the cost was a big factor.
I plan on making the wood floor first. It seems like 1/2 inch thickness is a good size. I plan on making a 3 piece as a 2 piece will not really fit in trunk of my car. So roughly 3 pcs, 3 foot by 3 foot, using regular plywood, not OSB after reading Flukes tips/experience. I was also looking at getting some rubber H-channels to connect the pieces but not sure if that's necessary. The aluminum ones looked nice in the earlier posts but metal edges would make me nervous. I have wondered though, since weight is always a concern with a portable boat, can you put holes or slits in the wood to lighten it? I know it was said the floor membrane molds to the floor from the water pressure but wonder if you just use the original floor underneath the wood without the inserts that might work or carpet over all the holes? Anyway thinking out loud there, weight might not even be reduced after that.
The next thing I would like to do after the floor is complete is to install some chairs. Seems like bolts with wing nuts work out well and help with the portability of them. Do you think putting a seat pedestal in the 3'x3' plywood would be OK since the keel chamber hole would be very close to where it would be mounted? IT would be nice to fit a cooler in the middle of the boat along with the 2 mounted seats. Do you think that's possible? Will likely use coolers for seats at first which is why floor is priority.
Another thing after reading about tiny holes in the floor membrane, can you put glue and fabric from the inflatable seats on the seams before anything happens as sort of a prevention? I guess I'm buying HH66 as recommended on here but not sure how that really works.
I also tried inflating the boat to check if it works ok and it was fine but I had a really hard time inflating the keel. The valve on the keel is a pain to try and pinch after the floor is in and keep the pump in. Any tips? Easier to inflate in the water? Couldn't imagine trying to do that alone.
The engine would be the last thing but don't want to get too far ahead of myself.
Sorry for so many questions.
 

ScottishScript

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Oct 19, 2014
Messages
79
I plan on making the wood floor first. It seems like 1/2 inch thickness is a good size. I plan on making a 3 piece as a 2 piece will not really fit in trunk of my car.

Avoid anything but 2 piece if you can. I slide mine behind the front two seats standing on their sides and they fit fine.

So roughly 3 pcs, 3 foot by 3 foot, using regular plywood, not OSB after reading Flukes tips/experience. I was also looking at getting some rubber H-channels to connect the pieces but not sure if that's necessary. The aluminum ones looked nice in the earlier posts but metal edges would make me nervous.

Two pieces sit just fine once boat is inflated, no idea how 3 would sit, but if you're fitting chairs you simply must go with 2 pieces, read my earlier post on hinged floor sections to learn why.
I have wondered though, since weight is always a concern with a portable boat, can you put holes or slits in the wood to lighten it? I know it was said the floor membrane molds to the floor from the water pressure but wonder if you just use the original floor underneath the wood without the inserts that might work or carpet over all the holes?

I always insert original floor with a single slat to level out the two pieces of ply where they meet in the middle. If you're going to make holes to save weight, make them circular and relatively small to maintain floor strength and keep them away from where you intend to fit chair stem. As regards carpeting, I started with carpet then ripped it out. All it does is add weight when it's damp, but then I live in Scotland.

The next thing I would like to do after the floor is complete is to install some chairs. Seems like bolts with wing nuts work out well and help with the portability of them. Do you think putting a seat pedestal in the 3'x3' plywood would be OK since the keel chamber hole would be very close to where it would be mounted?

If you make keel valve hole as big as I did you will have no problem accessing the valve. However I do advise cutting a bigger hole in the original slat floor as it can be a pain lining it up sometimes. As I said, I do not advise installing chairs on such small sections of ply. You need at least two sections to properly spread out the weight, otherwise you'll tear the seams from pressure points when you're sitting down.

IT would be nice to fit a cooler in the middle of the boat along with the 2 mounted seats. Do you think that's possible? Will likely use coolers for seats at first which is why floor is priority.

You don't have to "fit" the cooler, just sit it on the floor. Or better still build a bow board to get it out of the boat entirely.

Another thing after reading about tiny holes in the floor membrane, can you put glue and fabric from the inflatable seats on the seams before anything happens as sort of a prevention?

You could, but it could be a lot of work you never have to do if you avoid some of the pitfalls mentioned by others.

The valve on the keel is a pain to try and pinch after the floor is in and keep the pump in. Any tips?

Make hole to access keel valve through ply floor 14x10 and it should no longer pinch when using pump.

Easier to inflate in the water? Couldn't imagine trying to do that alone.

I only inflate keel once on the water. Hope this helps.
 
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