Is it worth upgrading from air floor?

Exit

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
38
So I took out Sattie again this Sunday. Was short on time so I didn't get a chance to do some things like find ideal trim position or mess with lifter settings. I also had to rush the clean up, so my review on 303 application will be delayed.

However, I did inflate my boat a lot more this time and I noticed it was riding pretty nice when I first took it out on the water. On the way back, after a few hours out, the cavitation started again. I'm not sure if it's because I installed lifters or because the air pressure dropped. But I could feel waves rolling underneath the boat again. My guess is it was the loss of pressure after being out for a few hours.

To upgrade to an aluminum floor is $300.00

That's a lot. Is it worth it? Anyone upgrade their floor?
 

Exit

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
38
Here's a pic from this Sunday. Really loving it.
 

Attachments

  • IMG-20150712-WA0009.jpg
    IMG-20150712-WA0009.jpg
    139.7 KB · Views: 0

Neuner

Seaman
Joined
Jul 14, 2015
Messages
72
Great pic! Wish we had water and scenery like that around us. Think I'd be out every day!

I've only read about the inflatable floors and their ills. We have aluminum floors with ours and although I don't think it has the problems the inflatable floor has, we're still trying to work out a couple of issues. We had significant ventilation/cavitation issues when we first got ours. Could only get up to about 6-7mph before complete ventilation prevented us from planing. Next trip out we inflated the tubes and keel to their max and installed a hydrofoil which resolved most of it. Still ventilates every now and then but able to plane and do about 18mph with 5 people and supplies.

I see in your pic that you have trim tabs. Wonder if a hydrofoil would help before trying a different floor? Could at least get a really cheap whale tail version before purchasing the floor.
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
Exit,

That's the issue about counting with air decks, must be inflated to at least 10-12 PS and that's with a accurate pressure gauge as you colud achieve a "hard thumb touch" by pumping just as little as 4-5 PSI. That will include tubes to at least 3.0 PSI and keel to 4-5 PSI for best sib rigidity and water performance.

You need to take foot/hand pump along and re inflate air deck to stated working pressure often. What was top inflated in the moring will not remain inflated same as in the afternoon as you ardeady have experienced. Not an issue while sun keeps warming the day. Worst during winter times.

If engine and prop are healthy, transom height is spot on, engine is well trimmed and deck weight well distributed you don't need those clown lifters, is throwing money into the blue. If loosing top air deck pressure throughout the whole day is a uncomfy issue, go for the wooden or alum deck, $300 is wise spent money, if plan assembling/disassembling frequently or on a daily basis, it's a different summer story.

Wow, such nice flat crystal clear waters, what an envy, is that Fla area ?

Happy Boating
 

Exit

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
38
Hey guys!
The pic is from Hualover Sandbar in South Florida. Probably one of the best spots for families. Its also near a state park, so lots of people rent kayaks and paddle to this spot. We have kayaks too but we bought the boat to be able to take our dog Amber, a yellow lab. Plan on taking her next time out. She's going to absolutely love it.

Sea Rider, I disagree with your sentiment about the lifters. I've noticed a big difference in the ability for the boat to plane quickly and at slower speeds. I'll have to confirm it with GPS (once I get one). We take the boat out once a week at most...and usually once every 2-3 weeks on average since we got it. I think getting the aluminum floor will be worth it based on the hassle it would save us from having to pump mid-day. I want to get out on the water and just enjoy it, not worry about whether its inflated sufficiently. The Keel was inflated to 9psi and the tubes were at 4 pis. The floor was inflated to about 9psi and then I pumped the hell out of it to hopefully get it to 12psi but I can't be sure because the hand pump did not have a guage. It did ride perfetly on the way out though...so I definitely think its an air pressure drop on the floor issue :-(

I'll post some more pics of the view later if you guys are interested. Thanks for the feedback!
 

Chopperbill

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
389
I had more problem with the keel dropping pressure than the floor after a run in the water. But I was filling it way to low in the beginning. Mine will plane with out my StingRay hydra foil but with it I don't have to be as picky with weight distribution. Without it and me riding solo near the stern it wants to shoot to the moon. Lot more enjoyable and carefree with it attached. It is amazing that the only big suppliers that sell inflatables only Saturn strongly suggests a hydra foil. Could be boat design or they got tired of answering all the questions why folks were having trouble planing. To damn many variables.
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
Sorry about the term clown lifters, didn't want to be mean with them, I meant being extreme long like clown size shoes. Those lifters will lift anything even a wheelchair out of water. If all previous stated variables are well dialed in, will include top air deck pressure, know where to distribute deck weight properly for a fast plane, don't need them.

Happy Boating
 

Exit

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
38
No offense taken Sea Rider. They are big and a little cumbersome. They are also a little inconvenient to put on and take off. I will probably do a review on them when I have more time to mess with the settings and get a stable floor to control for that confound. I've read that when set up correctly they increase gas mileage, top speed, and lower your required speed to plane. If that is all true, they are worth the $125 I spent on them. I'm an experimental scientist, so I might set up some experiments one of these days. Just need to get a GPS and figure out an effective way to measure fuel efficiency.

Heres a few more pics:
 

Attachments

  • sattie1.jpg
    sattie1.jpg
    134.8 KB · Views: 0
  • sattie3.jpg
    sattie3.jpg
    113.5 KB · Views: 0
  • sattie2.jpg
    sattie2.jpg
    111.7 KB · Views: 0

phenoyz

Cadet
Joined
Aug 1, 2015
Messages
15
No offense taken Sea Rider. They are big and a little cumbersome. They are also a little inconvenient to put on and take off. I will probably do a review on them when I have more time to mess with the settings and get a stable floor to control for that confound. I've read that when set up correctly they increase gas mileage, top speed, and lower your required speed to plane. If that is all true, they are worth the $125 I spent on them. I'm an experimental scientist, so I might set up some experiments one of these days. Just need to get a GPS and figure out an effective way to measure fuel efficiency.

Heres a few more pics:

VERY NICE !!!!
 

gwozhog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
138
It's funny that you are calling alluminum floors an upgrade. I just bought an Achilles with an aluminum floor and after 2 outings I don't feel like the hassle of the aluminum floor assembly so I ordered an air floor for 800 bucks. You have to be very careful not to drop the aluminum on your boat when installing or removing them. Make sure you are wearing shoes not flip flops either when you handle them because if you drop one on your foot you will be crying for your mama! 300 bucks sounds like a much better deal than what I had to shell out too. I will give a review on which one performs better once my air floor arrives.
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
If the issue was the hassle of assembling/disassembling floorboards on every outing that's a complete different story. For real world comparison take both floors on a choppy/windy sea cond outing and tell which one gave a more solid ride and much better water behavior. Ponds, lakes, flat waters are excluded for the test.

Happy Boating
 

alanfox55

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 17, 2011
Messages
476
No Title

Hey Exit you don't need to get a GPS you have one on your cell phone and can put a speedometer app on that.
 

Attachments

  • photo229083.jpg
    photo229083.jpg
    27.3 KB · Views: 0
  • photo229084.jpg
    photo229084.jpg
    38.5 KB · Views: 0

Calibra

Seaman
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
71
Hi

I have an air floor V shaped inflatable boat. Mine is a Trans-E 320 (3.2M). My engine is a 2 Stroke 1999 Johnson 15 HP.
I too had cavitation issues. I never 100% totally fixed it, but putting 10PSI in the floor and installing Hydrofoils (spelling) on the engine made a huge difference.
The biggest issue then was air pressure. Being in the UK the water is very cold so I'd start my trips ok, and then after an hour or two the boat would feel deflated and perform badly.

I ended up buying a 3.6M folder able rib which just works.

My Trans-E inflatable boat

DSC_0342 by James Batt, on Flickr

My Foldable Rib

Back Right by James Batt, on Flickr

Front View by James Batt, on Flickr
 
Last edited:

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
F-Rib has out of this world water performance compared to an air deck, right ? When running air deck sibs must carrry a foot or hand pump and reinflate air deck and keel back to their factory specs or expect crappy water performance which has been broadly confirmed when temp goes down.

Happy Boating
 

gwozhog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
138
I made it out yesterday for the first time with my new airfloor. A storm blew in and I hit 3-4ft swells. The air floor was a blessing because my boat was being slammed every time I went over a swell. The airfloor in my opinion is much easier on the body. As far as performance my boat is only 10ft so I think no speed was lost at all. I hit 21mph with an 8hp 2stroke. I like the aluminum floor too but just a PIA to transport and install if your boat gets broken down every time. My aluminum floor will probably collect dust in the garage until my airflloor does not hold air. So I would say the grass is not any greener on the other side.
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
Are you driving the combo while sitting on top air deck ? When running sibs moons back, used to have several alum deck ones but with a customed built air deck on top which was very comfy to tiller drive while sitting on them at back transom.

Happy Boating
 

slate1234

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
210
I have had the ali deck (worked well) and then a air floor, but this year upgraded to a 12ft light weight rib (ribtek) and there is no going back for me the air floor was a nightmare I hated the bloody thing I had the problem of cavitation and couldn't work it out I ended up over inflating the floor and it's now the dogs bath
 

Exit

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
38
I still haven't upgraded floors. It might be a while. But I have taken the boat out again and had cavitation issues once again.
 

Calibra

Seaman
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
71
No Title

The F-Rib is great. Here she is with a 1999 2 Stoke 15 HP Johnson
 

Attachments

  • photo232348.jpg
    photo232348.jpg
    13.6 KB · Views: 0
Top